R E S U R R E C T I O N Part Three
by DeMoy
Summary: With renewed tragedy striking the reassembled crew, a mourning Data has to take command as captain & tackle great challenges. Meeting chilling phantasms and fantastic cosmorama, ultimate doom looming, might be able to be turned away by his devoted love.
1. Chapter 25 Reunion

R E S U R R E C T I O N

Reunion--

As they finally reach into the Neutral Zone, also still there, the _Titan_ is greeting them waiting there. So slowly swooping in close to her stern, she looks like a mighty silvery space arrow. The _Sutherland_ sitting with the equally pretty large Excelsior class _Berlin_ nearby, along the very close Romulan borderline, a very majestic and magnificent space bird she, the _F _is indeed.

As the no lesser impressive _Titan_ is hailing them, with Captain Riker requesting to beam over, along with his 'FO' and own helmsman, Lieutenant Wesley Crusher, who went along on the trip after their last get-together at the very wedding festivity, it had wetted his appetite for some more space adventures rather than to 'travel' some more. Worf so telling the Captain of his incoming transmission, Picard is ever so very delighted, to even grant them direct bridge-to-bridge transport.

With the massive ship coming to a full stop, La Forge is there at his own station, with everyone else at theirs. Bar Data and Soong at the moment, with another middle-aged woman in his place, the pretty Trill Lieutenant by the name of Izma Dax, and with Picard then calling for his two O's on his combadge to report to the bridge immediately, Data replies near instantly, and to be on their way.

All this occurring within seconds for the _Titan _officers then to transpire on the bridge, they appear right in front of the activated viewscreen, showing the three ships just about in their direct line of view. The vessels sitting out there in a near black space, like some shiny pearls on an invisible border string, it is indeed the ever-smiling Riker and young Wesley, and ever lovely Troi, and Dr Crusher herself to visit, no one had expected to be aboard the _Titan _at all.

The officers of course still sporting their old style uniforms, their smiles of a happy reunion are not at all jaded, and with Picard smiling back at them all the happier now, they all come over to him, utterly ignoring the shiny-new bridge for the moment. A beardless Riker so reaching out his hand to greet him first with a very cheerful face, Picard grabs it with both his in welcoming him to no end.

Seeing Troi behind him there with her dear smile beaming back at him, looking as ravishing as ever, Picard simply has to embrace her for once, with a, "My dear Deanna," she returns all the more pleased. Crusher so next in line, Picard simply cannot believe she is there too, and looking as beautiful as ever, she beams her most delighted smile right back into his pleased eyes to embrace her heartily. Even if not quite as formally as he did Troi, and then gasps up at Wesley's own big grin bouncing right back off their very happy reunion.

"Good grief Beverly!" Picard exclaims as they hug each other dearly. "What are you doing on the _Titan_ of all 'buckets', I thought you were at Starfleet Medical!?"

Riker pouting at his derivative remark, not at all offended, everyone else around is more or less watching them embracing each other gladly. La Forge there joining in to meet them all with a cherished smile, stepping next to Riker who pats him on the shoulder in brimming rejoice, she so explains on their finally disengaging from the other.

Troi smiling at him just as nicely, they watch her explain while Worf holds the fort for the moment, not really all that lovey-dovey minded anyway, if respectfully acknowledging all their kind nods at him, he returns all too gladly.

"Well you know, I thought to surprise you Jean-Luc," she grins back. "When I heard that you will be joining Will here with your shiny-new super '_Enterprise-F_', I came by the _Berlin _engaging the border yesterday. And because Wesley is here of course after all his 'travelling', and for Will not having a 'really good' doctor at hand at the moment, after you could obviously enlist good old Julian for yourself. So I made time, and here I am," is her trilling explanation Picard likes to no end besides. "And my don't you all just look very dandy in your lovely new uniforms Jean-Luc!" Crusher remarks in stepping back a pace to look at him better.

Picard very pleased to be sure either way, he there nods at her bright smile, with even once twirling around himself as if to demonstrate the elegant new uniform better. There looking at a very happy Wesley, he shakes his offered hand, and says as they all study his official attire now a little closer.

"Welcome aboard Wesley!" he greets him heartily. "Oh hey, well you have no idea what these posh new 'smart' uniforms and my shiny-new super ship can 'do' now I tell you!" Picard marvels. "It's simply amazing, I'm sure young 'Lt Crusher' here will find all most 'intriguing'."

Wesley smiling back at him, he there asks immediately what the others had in mind all along, in his usual very eager and direct way, since they are looking around already as if to search for someone.

"Thank you Sir! I'm very excited to study the new cloaking technology, and most of all the regenerative shields and new ablative armouring," sounds his pleased reply. "But-um, please tell us Sir, where's, Data?"

Beaming his biggest smile at him, Picard cannot deny their well-meant extra excitement, to see their new old friend again, and before he but can actually say anything, one of the turbolifts open, and as if on command, 'Data' there emerges promptly. Not aware they would be there however, with Soong following him closely not seeing them for the moment, even though having sensed them already for herself, they all suddenly storm over to him like a swarm of busy bees diving down on a lovely purple flower, with greatest delight in their eyes and rejoicing voices.

Now with near black hair again, just as Data had in the early days, or Lore himself, the style is still equally 'sculpted' and ever so sharply outlined, just as his eyes are still that brilliant deep purple, they of course have never seen before. Seeing him in the new more amethyst-toned very dark uniform juxtaposed against his suddenly more ivory skin tone besides, he looks an absolute most aesthetic picture. Everyone still recognising him at once, he is instantly taken by complete if exceedingly positive surprise for once.

Stopping dead in his tracks, he nearly wants to try to run off in panic, well not really, but seeing them all buzzing around him touching and near pulling on him, he gets the friendly idea. Feeling nicely overwhelmed by their greatest ever, and dearest attention, even though meant more for Data than Lore for sure, he but cannot deny them their pleasure at all, now in full Data-with-a-'bit'-more-emotion-mode besides.

Not sure how to react though, with not badly impressed Soong falling back not to get rolled over by their massive shower of happiest congratulations and whatnot else verbal infatuations, he just lets it all wash over him at their plenty babbling over each other, to be so glad to glimpse him finally, to be so pleased to see him again in one piece, ever so enthralled to have him back, alive.

Even though they know of course, it is Lore's shell and restored brain, yet are all the more truly amazed about his unusual purple eyes, and suddenly now more visible and fairly long eyelashes and slightly darker brows. So complimenting the much more natural skin tone, and not that fully golden 'mask' face, and his former opalescent eyes anymore. Riker finding it all just marvellous no matter his new eye or face colorations, he just has to say something like, that all he needs now are Andorian antennae, always the joker. Despite the fact that Data now actually looks more natural than ever before, at everyone's most bemused giggle, even his own, just picturing him with two moving blue feelers sticking from his metal skull.

Lore intent to match his comical attempt there, by replicating Data's first more successful try to be 'practically funny' after the disastrous 'Crusher incident', he here points to his chest, and as Riker so looks down, Data simply brushes his fingers up over his chin going, "Na na na na na!" and everyone just cracks up. Even Riker, at his remembered playful antic, he had once tricked him with on Ba'ku, after the friendly boy Artim there had shown Data how to, 'play'. Which did not meet with her so sour reaction. But then again one could say, Riker has a much lesser serious 'mode' on him than Crusher, when it comes to 'serious fun'.

Troi most of all able to feel him being all alive again, finally literally so, touching him as never before, she is just making sure he really is real, since she now can even sense him empathically. Just as she once had Data, while he had been so terribly negatively affected by exactly this his very brother then, when Lore had corrupted his proper sense of ethics, over his very own violently violated by egomaniac Graves.

The Counsellor being all the more enthralled by that fact, she there falls into a fit of happy tears, after her tears of shocked grief on her witnessing the _Scimitar _explode with him aboard only days ago. Suddenly simply embracing him finally unable to contain her true joy anymore, always having been the most 'emotional' aboard, Lore just lets her in finding his own hands to embrace her too just as pleased to see her. Since Data considered her indeed a close friend, who had helped him on a more personal level, no matter they cannot ever be more different to each other.

Or at least were, with him not having possessed emotions per se, and she always was unable to at least 'read' his just as absent 'mind', but at least now can sense his very own sentiments. All watching them just as taken, the entire bridge there goes all, ahh, bar no lesser pleased Worf only shaking his head again, never having had much affinity with human sentimentalities or such physical display of affections, he can grasp having been raised by Humans and for Klingons being more than emotional by nature, in contrast to poor Data then.

Picard and La Forge having joined them, stepping side by side a very moved Beverly, Picard is all the happier to see them all in highest spirits again, and most of all together, nearly crying his own happy tears there suddenly, he would not even hold back anymore now.

Soong all but seemingly forgotten, Riker there seeing her keep her equally thrilled distance, he nods at her catching her flashing emerald eyes as his overwhelmed wife finally disengages from a near crushed Data. Which is pretty hard to achieve, especially from a rather petite woman like Troi. Or to crush Lore as it might be, who can only repeat his sincere, thank-yous and nice to see you-toos over and over.

Riker finally addressing her directly, he then says loud enough for them all to hear him, at Wesley's very much interested attentions already having spotted her, and with Picard to politely point her out to Crusher, they all so come closer as well.

"'Doctor' Soong I presume? Sorry I just had to say that for once," he fibs at her all too delighted.

Smiling back at his big and ever pleasant smile, Soong just nods with a content pout at his comical line and a mere, "Well yes and no," as he so extends his hand in grinning back at her with his so remarkably blue eyes.

"Welcome into our little family, Professor," Riker salutes her then properly.

Wesley there stepping next to her all the more excited, and Troi not letting go of Data still clinging to his very sleeve all too afraid to lose him again, they look at Soong now as she shakes his hand all the more pleased.

"Why thank you very much Captain charmed I'm sure," is her delighted reply,

Picard there adding an emphatic, "Yes indeed, very welcome," he so introduces his former ship's core and bridge officers once properly.

"Commander," he addresses Soong directly. "This is my 'ex' FO Will Riker, his wife Deanna Troi, my 'ex' counsellor, Dr Beverly Crusher my 'ex' ship's chief med, and her son, now Will's very own helmsman, Lt Wesley," he introduces them to her singly by politely pointing them out to her in turn, for the round to smile at her most pleased with her returning their sentiments gladly.

"This is genius Doctor," he adds in touching her bravely on the shoulder not sure how she would react to his direct touch. "How did it go again?" he then ponders while she allows his kind contact. "'Arik Bellfort Novalis Noonien' Soong's equally most amazing daughter, you did say I could tell them?" Picard asks suddenly not sure she actually gave him permission to, but on her collected nodding to signal she had, he relaxes and adds quickly.

"Hm, well yes so, this is Dr Arika von Meyerland, or Professor Soong," he then introduces her correctly. "That's what we can call her too now officially, the one who brought us back our old new, Cmdr Data 'Bellfort, formerly 'B-4', Lore Soong', better known as our dear Data… god I'm not sure if I prefer your one name Data really or even just Lore," the Captain stammers up with a grin.

Everyone giggling at his last remark, not sure either to prefer his old single name, Soong technically knowing them all not only by ways of Data's own recall, but from the ship's personnel and image logs, she however lets him do his kind courtesy job, and nods at them in turn. Troi being next in line so to shake her hand, not having seen her before either, Soong can feel her intense joy not only sparkle in her black and yet suddenly rather mystified eyes.

Because Troi oddly cannot sense her at all, which puzzles her only now noticing that. So before she might ask since Soong however can 'feel' her, she enlightens them, just like she can sense everyone else, if slightly differently than empath Troi not even half Betazoid, but quarter Vulcan of all species utterly devoid of any emotions, even less than good Data had been for sure.

"Yes my dear Counsellor, I have a positronic brain too which the Captain seems to have omitted," she lets them know finally with everyone going all gaping at her in turn, bar those who know and only go all grinning at their surprise. "But otherwise I'm fully, well near eighty percent human flesh and blood with a lot of bionic implants – just like 'your' Data, or Lore's as it were has. Even if mine is actually of near twice 'his' capacity and faster speed, yet is the very same. I can sense you very much as you can others, even though by different means," comes her added bonus of even greater surprise to them. "And it appears in contrast to Data now, you cannot register my mind either because of these very means I will enlighten you about later."

With no one to apparently have known any of that, bar the selected bridge crew, they now obviously have been briefed with all the necessary 'schematic' facts of their new SO and old FO Commanders besides, at no specific reactions to them even mentioning Lore, bar the utterly mesmerised guests, at their definitely amazed acknowledgement of her unexpected words.

With Riker looking at a stumped Wesley looking at smirking La Forge looking at a grinning Picard, all gaping along with an utterly amazed Crusher, Troi however still shakes her head not stopping to ring her hand. Or even noticing her interface, if being perhaps aware of it but ignores it politely for now, before she then replies all the happier with a beaming smile out-beaming them all, and a little tear creeping from her stunned eye.

"Oh never mind that Professor tell us all about it later!" Troi rejoices utterly taken by her. "It's all just so wonderful and overwhelming and thrilling and what you have achieved!" she trills up more than delighted. "And with poor Lore we never realised to have been so plagued, and our beloved Data, and we're all so terribly sorry for your late husband, dear 'B-4' as we knew him only. We're ever so grateful for everything you've done, and that you both are aboard the _Enterprise _now! – Thank you so much Professor Soong, you can't imagine how happy we all feel!" resound her most passionate words of great praise and most welcoming delight, which could wing the entire ship through the entire quadrant in nil time.

Soong slowly winding her hand from hers with a dear smile where she cannot reply anything at everyone's sincerest nods, she so simply takes her into her arms, as a much older sister as it might be, and Troi instantly starts crying again, all the more pleased Soong even does that, feeling her extremely human nature, and warm and deeply com-passionate character, as Troi so has finally found her soulmate. Riker not badly astounded and all the more delighted for his overwhelmed wife, Picard and Beverly are no lesser impressed either, while Data merely smiles at Soong's ever so greatest support, and selfless heart he would never want to feel amiss himself again. Or his brothers, loving her just the same.

With ever-joyful La Forge, and all the more Wesley now fairly unable to decide as to either revel at Data, he is ever so happy to see 'him' returned. Or perhaps even Lore he of course knew as well, even if under very negative circumstances nearly having become his victim too all these years back when he still was a boy. But with Lore now not even looking that younger anymore either, but like Data even if with purple eyes suddenly, he cannot find one negative thought about him anymore, and maybe should rather go all more, ahh, again, over the touching scene of more 'female bonding'.

Worf just keeping an eye on things, as they are hanging around in space close to the still fairly volatile Romulan border, and three more ships out there keeping the bad guys at bay, he again merely shakes his heads with a much-impressed smile to himself, no one notices. Soong so letting Troi recover herself and they disengage, it is time for Wesley to grab her attention too finally. Soong feeling his most palpable eagerness running through her more than perceptibly, she so finally offers him her hand he nearly snatches all the more taken by her, and then says at his mother's most satisfied nod.

"Hello my dear Lieutenant, I've heard so much about you too and your fascinating 'travels'," she purrs at him flattered. "I'm really happy to be here and that I could help, and I thank you all very much, and in the name of my late husband, but let's not forget restored Lore to have brought us back your, beloved Data."

Wesley smiling at her again like an over-infatuated child, no less a full thirty years of age by now, he instantly replies the moment she finishes her thanks, with all having a quick look at 'Lore'. As it is obvious now that they are all aware of the more complex issues surrounding him, and Data's very return at the very high costs of her husband besides. No matter still with her if not as a single separate man of course, as neither 'technically' is Data at that, and they watch his ever so taken reply.

"Indeed! Indeed so, but please Professor, call me Wesley!" he near demands more than happy.

Soong nodding at his fine offer, she says softly with a smile, "Wesley it is," and then at his right happy glee, she turns to his no lesser proud mother, and Soong offering her hand first as a sign of respect to his parent, or more as a same-aged colleague, all the more eager to see who the woman is Picard still has more than intimate feelings for. Even if still as well for herself it seems, and she so adds as Crusher accepts her kind regard with an honest smile.

"Hello Doctor," Soong addresses her. "I'm so very pleased to meet you finally too, the Captain here, has told me all about you, and that you know each other for such a long and very good time. And about your little breakfast sessions, I hope you two might bring to bear soon again?" she suddenly filters in deliberately.

Having now factually removed herself from the present picture of his dual desires, and for everyone to get the idea that she has no interest in him, and thus taking away his still conspicuous if passive advances towards her to redirect them back towards Crusher, who still loves him as well, they all do not quite comprehend it as such a deliberate move, with none of them knowing his secret desire for Soong besides, as of yet.

Bar Picard to be sure, and he understands as exactly that, and why she did it. No less not at all opposed to her whole idea as such, as Crusher is very much in his heart, as she is taken by her all the more now, he looks at her deliberate glance at him, to make it clear to him with unwitting witnesses as it were to truly have not the slightest interest in him as a man.

"Why thank you Professor," she returns all delighted and smiles most sincerely in nodding back at her with a contented blush. "I'm very thrilled to meet you too, having studied your truly great 'official' achievements over the years not even knowing who you really were," comes her surprise admission. "And the moment Jean-Luc has told us about your so devoted personal project and to be a Soong, we all followed your so amazing progress and so unfortunate tragedies, and finally all the more magnificent success with, 'brother' Lore, and our beloved Data, and we're all really most pleased to welcome you as a new friend into our family. And I thank you personally for having told me, that Jean-Luc will be heading this way so I could surprise him," Crusher adds most thankfully at everyone's pleased smiles.

Making her feel all the more welcome, with Soong only nodding back with a grateful, "Thank you Doctor, no problem," she glances again at Picard there frowning all the more for her obvious telling her, so she might take the chance to see him again, sooner, and to head him back into the Doctor's direction not at all attracted to him. Which he is not mad about either way, but still grateful in some form. And while he does find Soong most captivating for sure, he indeed has a very long and very fine history with Crusher, he cannot ignore either.

Lore on the other hand, only now getting the idea, that they all knew about Soong's intent to try to help him and Data, long before the Captain would have told him, but then of course was way too late, at Data's death, he ponders about that for a moment. Wesley seeing him look away to literally compute that, he there asks him, what the matter is, and Lore merely replies not at all aware of this, at Soong's obvious success not to release her talk about the change of plans, and Picard's 'confession' into his memories to keep it secret on his request.

"So-um, does that mean then if I may interrupt, that you all knew my sister Data never remembered, wanted to come 'here' to fix 'me', Lore and give 'me' Data my new own emotion program, all before the Captain ever told, 'me' Data about that, what? Days or weeks before he was killed, and you then had to change plans?" he speculates. "Because he, and then even misfortunate Bellfort died and it would fall on me to become the vessel for both memory engrams, when all I knew was, that she had tried to contact you, to help Data and me and return to Terlina III with 'B-4', that Lore would be left with all their own memories in my place even before Bellfort's death, and no one else knew about it and was supposed to have been initially intended as a nice 'surprise'? Am I correct in that assumption, Sir?"

With all looking at him there with a dear grin and nod, they are just about able to get the duality idea of his over-complex recitation, not suspecting any darker thoughts behind that apparently innocent question. Yet having formulated it rather compounded with the last question to basically negate any previous line to be taken as direct accusation, and more so as he first started to talk as Lore, and then was going into full Data 'mode', in the manner of his noticeably changed speech and addressing himself as both in turn.

And then even went into more neutral demeanour, calling the Captain Sir suddenly again, and not friend or Jean-Luc as he had offered him, slowly switching over full characters. First as Lore then Data with emotions, and then Data with no emotions, not to feel, the actual 'betrayal', not to have even been told at least after the fact, to distant himself from possible more hurt, as Lore.

But indeed unaware of this, the Captain there smiles at his truly Dataesque puzzlement, and replies in stepping next to him after a very sharp look at Soong, who only nods back at him, so he should finally tell him.

Picard patting Lore on the shoulder, and La Forge posting himself by his other side, as if to emphasise his words, he then nods at him dearly.

"That's right-um Lore," Picard tentatively commences. "She had contacted me finally only days before you-um died, after endless failures to get in touch with us, on Dr Bashir's and Admiral Janeway's help, and would have done exactly that. I told your friends here, so they would know about the surprise, all very happy you both could finally be helped, but well-um, then of course Data was killed, and your sister had to change her original plans to help Lore and Data separately, and would have proposed for Bellfort to remain to perhaps become Data again, who had not really wanted to stay here at any rate after he was restored. I'm sure you're aware of that, so I simply had to consider you, as Data's 'successor' if you will, but to be restored in the form of-um, Data only," comes his final profession no one had anticipated.

Pausing there as if to give him or the others a chance to react to that dark confession now, they keep quiet with a tense feeling in their guts, neither revealing if they knew or even condoned that presumptuous idea. All watching Lore stare to the ground there in tilting his head as if to compute this fairly hurtful admission, Picard adds with an even heavier heart on Soong's very pointedly frown at him, to finally get this out of the way, and off her mind to keep it secret.

"I'm truly sorry Lore but I had asked your sister, or wife, not to tell you in case you might feel, betrayed again," he continues, as Lore no lesser than Data or Bellfort so look at him straight again. "And that it was my idea entirely from the start, not ever thinking you really could be restored at all from what we knew of you, not realising what incredible genius your sister was, and that she could truly help you," comes his timid explanation at a very tense silence.

"I'm sincerely sorry Lore I should have told you at least after Bellfort had-um died I know, but all I wanted was to get Data back at all costs, and there was no other way left to restore any of your bothers suddenly as single men. I simply was afraid without him, we'd be doomed really, I'm so sorry, you were right, I asked too much of you, please forgive me my friend, Data, Lore, please?" he begs him directly now with puppy eyes.

No one not quite sure as to how he will react now obviously not having been aware of this, or at least had been told later indeed, they are very surprised Picard puts the entire blame on himself now. Lore throwing a quick frowning look at Soong, she however looks at Picard's finally confessing to him and relieve her from the ugly burden to keep it quiet, and so nods at him again thankfully.

Before she then gazes back at Lore's lost gaze, and nods at his still pondering eyes, and they all feel a slight unease creeping in suddenly at Lore's peculiar hesitation to react to his utterly unexpected words, at once. Or Data's most unusual indecision as it were, and with no one right now even sure who would reply to this actually next besides, they all noticed indeed this man sort of not to be the 'true' Data, or even old Lore anymore.

Or Bellfort they have never met, even though he appears as a complete Data, especially at the end of his question, down to his utterly puzzled look. Even if it is presently marked on a slightly changed face, and yet the very same countenance they only saw days ago, and so they all just wait for his reaction, any reaction, to Picard's desperate tries to forgive him, calling him friend on top.

Lore so pouting away for the moment, he is not quite sure how to respond to this now as himself, or be really pissed off about the indisputable fact that Picard had in mind all along to rob him of his own identity, never intending to see him pick up his own life, if ever expecting to get 'restored' at all. As to rather reinstate Data into his own matrix, and that not even only so after Bellfort had suddenly passed on.

So to not at all to leave him inside his older brother who could have become Data just as well, or indeed not at his eventual refusal, not ever wanting even to be persuaded to stay, and then for his own most misfortunate death having occurred exactly because of Data's very own actual memory upload no one had ever expected either.

But then so, Picard had doubtlessly misled him at no real intent to let Lore become himself finally, knowing that Bellfort would want to be far away from any space ships to resume his old life with Soong, at their perfect rights and no doubt full intentions he respects. And yet if so, he would nonetheless have lost out again, on his very own 'purged' future a third time now, when Picard had not even the courtesy to enlighten him before Bellfort's tragic death.

Or should he merely leave it at that and consider it as cruel fate to have dealt him another terrible blow, by either Picard's presumptuous ideas, or even more so ill-fated Bellfort to die away right after courageous Data, without realising that he would end up just like before, not himself at all. Or they maybe even expected it, and that he be left stranded without his very own individuality and personal future life for good by that, as this then simply meant nothing had changed really. Bar that he felt no 'evil' compulsions at any further extent at all anymore, not even in his 'own' mind, or any of his 'dead' brothers.

As merely to see substituted the very factors, the Graves virus for the Data and Bellfort engrams, and so it again happened, that good Data alone had succeeded, and never 'bad' Lore, to finally resume his messed-up life indeed. Or so they thought with now suddenly this new overwhelming personality creeping in no one could have anticipated really, neither to see Lore return, or only Data, or Bellfort alone. As merely someone with all their complete memories and individual traits, and Lore's ever stronger and unconditional love for her, the only ever true force for him to survive.

Never doubting her for a second, he is in no particular mood to question the strong love he feels for and can sense from her, by reacting with a more disappointed reply to destroy the joyful reunion atmosphere besides, and could always face Picard later in private over his very selfish idea. Yet, none of this would make any difference, as the very end result is what it is and cannot ever be undone indeed, as he will be left with this completely new personality at any rate, with all his lost brothers intact for sure.

But how they came to be inside him now is suddenly another question altogether, or how this new persona will develop, perhaps pulling him away from Soong by his ever stronger, if certainly not negative new yet great obsession, to do things constantly. Which he actually up to this very moment, had never even thought of before, and is actually even more perplexed now for how long he just has dwelled on these multifaceted facts alone. Or certainly Picard's extreme self-interest to even withhold his right to have known of his initial very unfair intentions, which might at the end not even have changed his mind, and not to have agreed to 'become' Data at all.

Sighing there suddenly catching himself after a full 'ten' seconds to have passed, a definite eternity for him, and very same duration it took for him to 'die alone', Soong frowns at him already feeling his true unease as everyone is expecting the worst really at his obvious disappointment. Until he but then only shrugs his shoulders and replies in pouting some more, back in full Data mode.

Yet simply has to add his own true sentiments, just to make it clear in an acceptably nicer form for now. So appearing just as the very recent Data with a bit of emotions going, just to dampen his true feelings of slight duplicity so to emerge the greater all-honest, and ever-forgiving mind, he expresses what he 'really' thinks right now, just so to keep the peace as usual.

"Oh well what can I say, after all my good friends' so genuine elation, and your own final confession I do appreciate Captain," Data so replies nonchalantly cool. "I would have preferred to have been told at least when we were at Obs lounge or after Bellfort's death, or when I obviously was restored even before," comes his mildly scolding recourse. "You misled me to be honest, even though I fully understand your rather self-interested motives and can see you had no choice at the end," Data allows again in turn, with all glad enough he does not simply walk away at the obvious deception.

"But I just as might have agreed to it anyway even before Bellfort passed away, you did convince me before," he moans up in turn. "But had you honestly told me all that, or that you harboured no factual initial confidence to ever expect me to resume my own life, the very consequence is still the same now," follows his logical and disheartened resume. "None of this can be undone and I am who I am, always the loser when it comes to my own life, and Data is the eternal winner not even alive anymore."

Everyone looking at him with a sudden most miserable understanding, Troi clutches for his arm in ever dear support, and all so looking back at Picard's even more dejected eyes, Lore shakes his head at him as he carries on visibly disenchanted.

"I would have expected more sincerity especially from you Jean-Luc," he adds with a friendlier tone again. "I would have understood your all-consuming desire to see Data come back again and I still do, but I will not hold it against you, or Data himself. Who is very grateful you ever needed him to return 'at all costs', even afraid to go out there again without him what greater honour for sure, if on my own costs, which seems to be my fate," Lore allows in addition with a saddened undercurrent art the facts.

"But we surely will not spoil our all so fine reunion, a lovely surprise it would have been for Data, or Lore." sounds his final resolution. "Great shame Bellfort never made it either to see us all back together, as three individual souls, as my lovely rose Arika had wanted, and not only suddenly all of us now stuffed into this one silly old android," he pouts away trying to sort the situation by playing it more casually humorous, and yet might not feel like that at all, just so to keep the peace for now.

Soong feeling his subliminally, much more dissatisfied mind despite his attempt to sound even more funny at the end, no one else would ever notice it as such of course, way too faintly expressed at any rate with his emotions played down to a minimum. Not even ever-observant young Wesley, or even Troi, who could feel his sudden drop in emotions, yet cannot perceive them as negative, as merely set to 'cautious' and disappointed, if she were to name them.

With the entire crew happy enough about his yet slightly moody sounding reply and all the more graceful reaction and humorous remark, all are very relieved the least smiling back at him in nodding at his sentimental response. As all so seems well again with everyone taking his response face value, Picard is just as relieved without a doubt giving him a second pat with a most sincere smile.

"Yes we all are very saddened about that Lore my silly old 'android', and I truly am very sorry I misled you, and very grateful you see it that way my friend," is his renewed most grateful apology.

No less addressing him as himself, plus calling him his friend again and not only Data, even catching on to his successful attempt at 'self' humour, and with Data or Lore to finally call Picard even by his first name, he obviously must have offered him at some point to be able to do that, at everyone's nodding agreement, they all are very pleased about that besides.

La Forge there adding another dear pat to his shoulder, underlined by the others' most kind smiles, Lore so merely leaves it at that with a tender look at Soong, who closes her eyes once very pleased about his very forgiving response with a most loving smile. Thus having 'forgiven' her the same, to her own smallest part over not telling him either, and so to signal her ever love back to him able to feel his every deliberate 'vibe' he needs all the more never to end, he would never dare tinge them with negative emotions directed at her, ever.

Before anyone yet but can say anything more, Worf there interrupts the happy reunion by announcing, that the _Titan _is hailing them. Riker's FO still over there needing to talk to him, Picard signals him to open a channel and bring him up on the huge viewscreen, and Worf does so.

With all seeing the giant monitor to scroll into a live image of the other ship's bridge, Riker addresses the younger man in stepping behind the Ops console just as he did all these years before. Leaning himself on his knee, he steps on the side bar of the attached chair, to talk past the pretty Trill woman manning Data's station for the moment to address the man by the name of Allen De Lancie.

"Yes Commander – what is it?"

With his slightly younger FO replying rather hesitantly, he then says with everyone's eyes on him.

"Um-Captain Hobson of the _Sutherland _hailed us Sir," he announces quietly. "To enquire, when he will be allowed to return to DS9 now that the _Enterprise_ has finally arrived, and wants to know when she will be ready to head out to the Gamma Quadrant with the _Titan,_ for the _Berlin _to take over and remain here on the border, Sir?"

Lore frowning at the name as Picard there looks at him in mimicking the Captain's name silently, they both indeed remember him from the disgraceful '_Sutherland_ incident' of now twelve years back, when Hobson was Data's once short-lived FO Lieutenant Commander only, Picard had no idea would ultimately take his very place, and Lore has no clue about either way. When Hobson most shamefully had all the more seriously intended to oppose Data even as his superior then, simply for being an 'android'. Which is short for 'racism' at any rate, no matter merely a 'race' of a few Soong brothers, or the least was severely prejudiced discrimination.

Soong just as well gathering the idea about the then unacceptable conduct of a fellow officer, and this to be the very ship Data could have been captain of since years now, both look at the other secretively as she expects something other than his passive glee at the man who technically sits in Data's very place. After he had been so nasty to him, and then even turned it all on its head by recommending Data, to get this, his very own position as it were later.

All utterly unaware of this disgraceful episode at that, as everyone else is watching Riker to answer, he then pouts at Picard to ask him, when they will be ready, and with Picard stepping next to him to address his FO, he says all the more seriously intoned.

"Tomorrow morning 1000 hours sharp Commander" comes his resolute reply. "We need to run a few checks on our latest gadget tests and how they performed so far after our non-stop travel here, just to make sure they won't let us down when we really need them. Is that right Commander?" he here addresses La Forge directly.

Looking over to La Forge with an urgent and very 'official' pointed look, La Forge catching on fast for sure, he merely nods back with a casual, "Absolutely Captain," gathering his idea to make them time, and Picard so nodding at the not at all pleased FO, Riker there frowns at his open disagreement.

"Something wrong Commander?"

With Commander De Lancie sighing deeply, he there replies with a plagued nod.

"Well Sir, Captain Hobson is not the most 'patient' of superiors, and he wants to leave already before the shipswill head out, and for the _Berlin _to ta..." comes his cut off reply as Picard there interrupts him suddenly in shaking his head vigorously at the poor man, before Riker can even say anything and sounds up sharply.

"No no no! **I'm** in command of this damned mission Commander!" Picard states indignantly. "And if 'Captain' Hobson will not carry out 'my' orders, I shall send Cmdr **Data **over to him, to take charge of 'his' vessel again, and relieve him of duty once and for all!"

Data there looking at him very slowly with a measured frown, and just a little highly pleased glee in his purple eyes at the great thought alone to pay back Hobson, he is totally unaware of the very fact that he had withheld this very man's recommendation, and then even Starfleet's approval for Data to basically having been able to take his present post already all these years back, and the very position to be instated as his own captain.

Picard smiling at him to show he gathered the to him very tricky idea behind it, and with Soong stepping closer to him to stealthily touch for Lore's hand from behind, she grins at their pleased eyes with a most satisfied nod, trying hard not to let Data know, that Picard had told her about his previous disgraceful intervention, and another stained secret to be kept for sure.

La Forge, Riker and Wesley beaming each other a most of all very delighted grin in addition, obviously aware of the deeper meaning, the rest can gather what this was all about while Crusher, Troi and Worf seem to know about the old and shameful incident too at their satisfied nods. A beleaguered Cmdr De Lancie so sighing again at Riker's gesture for him to end transmission, he simply says, "Aye Sir!" and the screen goes all black.

Picard turning to his crew, more or less, he there sniggers up all the further cheerfully now, at everyone's gathering around him.

"Well I think that went pretty well gaining us some hours of playtime," he mumbles up amused. "Besides, we really need to check on things before we head out for good now, which will be a job for Wesley and Geordi and you Data if you need to do more things, but for now let's celebrate our little family reunion!" comes his rejoice promptly. "Before we have to engage whoever the hell is out there in the damn Gamma Quadrant, vaporising our fleet – come, the round is on me in our brand spanking new Ten-Forward lounge!"

All not badly surprised about his rather casual delivery there, they are all the more pleased, with everyone nodding happily, especially Wesley and Data, while Picard adds in waving to Worf, who is still holding the fort preferably.

"Worf! – Ten-Forward lounge, or fort?" he teases him with a slant eye. "Come, get Bashir to join us come!" the Captain waves at his reluctance again. "Guinan's got more 'green' stuff and 'Strudel', hm?"

Not quite sure if to stay and guard the bridge rather to his taste, with the nightwatch starting any moment which seems not Data's duty call this time, or to come along to endure more 'human interactions', Worf there is but instantly persuaded by the last all the more tasty words, and grumbles up to get the Doctor.

All happy to see him join, Picard quickly says to the Ops officer looking back at him, to have the bridge, and with her nodding with an, "Aye Sir!" they all head to the brand-new Ten-Forward.

Worf squeezing himself into the turbolift last, as they are all well stuffed into it for sure already, he grumbles up something rather comical suddenly and fairly unintentionally at that.

"You need a bigger ship Captain, the turbolifts are too small on this one," his booming voice resounds inside the undeniably small turbolift. "I liked the old _D _better, she had more generous communal spaces."

All just laughing up at his very funny remark, having indeed come from a bigger ship with the massive family space bird the _D_, which carried twice as many crew of just over a full thousand people. Though the _E_ was and _F _is a giant besides, they were and are slightly smaller than the _D _as a whole despite the _F_ now capable to hold twelve-hundred crew, and Worf might have meant it actually most seriously, as usual.

On the doors closing, the Captain so calls for Deck Ten shaking his head at Worf next to him replying, to remember this ship not to be for 'families' any longer, even less than the _E_ already had been, but a complete combat vessel at the moment, they all just have to acknowledge that. With one and all grumbling at that with a ponderous nod, off they are to the Ten-Forward lounge, while the Trill bridge officer so takes her temporary place in the Captain's chair, and leisure nightwatch has begun.

The last one for many.

15


	2. Chapter 26 Night Terrors

R E S U R R E C T I O N

Night Terrors--

As the night is dragging on and Ten-Forward is nearly empty, only Riker and Troi are still there with Bashir and Wesley having a last chess game, while Guinan is clearing the last table. With the bridge manned by Worf again for the moment, Crusher is in their guest quarter, Picard and La Forge are in their own, with each and every one peacefully asleep, as is Soong in their place, and all is well aboard the _Enterprise-F_.

Bar for Lore of course, being plagued by human sleeplessness, or Data either way, who is not willing to switch on his sleep program as it were, only to dream up some more bizarre phantasms perhaps. Lying next to Soong in their wedded bed, with both dressed in some black satin pyjamas, he is cradled over her left side and watching over her quiet sleep ever so lovingly. Looking at her right arm there, he touches tenderly for her hand over her chest, now showing no interface. But some very large if carefully sutured scar above her wrist, where her prosthetic hand had been attached to permanently with a fully articulated wrist, the very same kind he possesses, so completed by Bellfort himself.

As he sighs the sigh he never needs to oh you know while feeling gently over her fingers and the neat scar, it is as if to touch some part of his own origins, the undoubtedly cybernetic side of himself, of all of them. Or it is perhaps just to feel her, or her own cloned skin covering it. Looking just like a real biological hand with all the natural lines and grooves and even fingerprints, it was created as a mirror copy of her own left hand, just as all his brothers had them the very same copied from their genius father, with perfect reproductions of his very fingerprints.

Yet it is merely reminding him of Data's very own encounter with organic skin, having been applied in near exactly the same place there on his right arm as well, by the Borg Queen's intoxicating intent to lure him into sensual pleasures. Touching for his own right arm where it once was grafted, if not even to his very own endoskeleton, he can yet recall and literally feel the past sensor input, still in his, Data's aroused memories, the most pleasurable experiences he was allowed to taste with her and he will never forget.

Or even the late, lovely Tasha, he had loved just the same, and it hurts him deeply now thinking back to her cold refusal to continue their more intimate relationship. In contrast to the Queen's true intent to keep him he would have joined for sure, had Picard not arrived on his own desperate call to end his unprecedented misery. Reflecting on both their so cruel, and utterly empty deaths all in the name of Starfleet, he will never be able to abide either.

And yet just has been with his 'technically' own sister, and all but lawful wife as well all the more desired, never having been able to even remember to, and yet recalls his unspoken want finally all clearly in his mind. Or Lore's, having been with her so many times just like that. Or of course Bellfort her legal husband later even more so remembering the most exquisite pleasures they both had experienced with her, surpassing the Queen's most exhilarating seduction and pleasuring him, and Data now can finally taste again, or anew.

As he looks over to the interface placed on the side table, standing upright like a black steel hand with no fingers next to the small bottle of eyedrops, it however looks utterly unappealing to him suddenly. Sitting there like a black skeletal contraption, it is reminding him only of the more painful visions of his own stripped arm then, when this organic flesh applied to near his entire body at the end was painfully destroyed by the plasma coolant. Which had killed the Borg Queen, and exposed his own inner circuitry in place of his bioplast skin, which had enabled him to feel like any Human would, and having suddenly looked exactly like her interface does.

How bizarre he is thinking only now, how close her own 'Borg' implants and this device are to that of his very own make, his very innermost self. Touching for his face where more Borg skin had been grafted as well only to get stripped just the same, and expose more of his striking, robotic and entirely cybernetic nature, he however suddenly feels it as so terribly amiss. Or at least the exhilarating effect it had on him, able to sense as any Human can, only to lose it all again, despite the fact that he within Lore's shell can sense it as closely as that again, or indeed Lore and Bellfort themselves.

Just as it once happened before, on Barkon IV when he had been attacked, and his facial skin was stripped off on exactly the same side, exposing the blinking diodes and his true inner mechanical reality, revealing not to be a Human at all. Then he had not the slightest inkling himself to be an android of all 'things', a most advance technological or cybernetic if no doubt sentient lifeform. Yet not remembering anything of his past at all then, could not even recognise what he was and had greatly unsettled him, yet tried his best to cope before he was killed by sad prejudice and irrational fears.

Looking at her peaceful and so beautiful face, he slowly moves up to slip his arm from under her neck to sit up, and touches for her forehead to brush away some of her very long, now open hair spread out on the silken purple pillows, and she even subconsciously senses. Yet deeply asleep right as he moves away, she only turns towards him again, and so waits until she has settled down again to slowly sneak from the covers not to wake her, with a last tender kiss to her brow. Just as Bellfort had done so many times as well, or certainly Lore.

Leaving the very dark bedroom with the doors closing behind him silently, he heads out into the office in brushing his fingers though his slightly disorderly hair back to the way it usually looks, and with the subdued illumination there to auto light up, he sits by his desk to turn on the monitor. Yet in no particular idea what to do next, the search for it is but taken from his decision making, as the piece suddenly chirps up with an incoming intraship transmission, by no less Worf from the bridge, and Data not badly surprised so asks what he wants first as his superior.

Worf sighing up seeing him in his darkened office, he replies as Data so leans back with a slight frown.

"I was hoping I could find you still up Sir, as I would have asked La Forge otherwise, well to-um, help me with something," he fumbles around verbally. "We have a bit of an unusual sensor array tech snag, nothing serious but no one seems to be able to fix it, if I may ask you to attend Sir?"

Lore in no better mood than to hear that as it were, he yet is not showing it with a delighted grumble.

"Very well Worf on my way, Data out," he replies with a sharply nod leaning forwards.

By that he deactivates the monitor, smiles to himself, and gets up to head back to the bedroom and change into his more official attire.

Appearing on the bridge soon after, Data in his full uniform with combadge, so heads for Worf standing by the Tactics station who appears to be with no one else around, which is all most unusually irregular. Data there noticing that as he steps beside him, he asks, why he is alone on the bridge and that this to be against regulations, even during nightshift, unless it was himself alone on duty.

Worf there frowning at him all seriously puzzled, he replies all innocently surprised in looking around.

"'Sir'? – Are you ok? I do not understand, lieutenants Wallace and Taitt are there and engineers Schneider and Barclay," Worf replies utterly mystified seeing them all clearly looking back at them both. "Sir here right here at aft station, can't you see them? Data talk to me, what is the matter Data? **Data**!?" he suddenly near hollers at him.

Worf turning very concerned as Data really believes no one else to be there except them both merely frowning at him utterly bewildered now, he looks around with no one else there for sure. Worf calling his name again in even touching for his arm as he seems suddenly to malfunction, Data's eyes start fluttering just like Bellfort's had before he went into fatal meltdown, and gets suddenly very anxious as he does not react to his touch, or loud and roaring voice. Worf hitting his combadge to call for Dr Bashir and Dr Crusher for a medical emergency on the bridge, he declares that Data is apparently malfunctioning, and they should call on La Forge and the Professor immediately!

After a short time delay both answering with Bashir first still at Ten-Forward and to be on their way and inform them, he jumps up with Riker and Troi and Wesley in his wake, and they all come rushing from the lounge like being hunted. But there is not even any need to call on Soong, as she suddenly wakes up at the instant sensor input of Lore's malfunctioning system, she can feel in her own brain just as he does her, and leaps from the covers just as fast to dive into her black dressing gown and slippers, in snatching for the interface in one rapid move.

So darting for the exit while she opens the articulated device to snap it over her arm like a two-piece gauntlet, and dashes for the nearest turbolift through the dimmed and empty corridors equally driven, her shiny gown and glossy hair are flowing after her like one black shadow.

Worf very much afraid to witness Data behaving just like Bellfort as it were, even if not saying a word or clutch for his skull in pain, he can clearly see that there is something very wrong with him, as he merely stands there like a marble statue suddenly, not seeing or hearing anything anymore it seems. Even his eye colour suddenly start defaulting back to the gold iris, with his face twitching besides, just as Lore's had before when he had seen him first so may years back now, with this nervous tick on his left cheek.

And then his head starts shuddering slightly all uncontrollably, as if his servos were out of synch, just as he had seen Data many years back as well. When they had been on this dead planet, and he was hit by the Iconian virus and this control console 'beam' at the station there was attacking his entire system. Which in turn then had caused him to lose all motor function control, and even was rendered blind suddenly, even if he still could talk just a bit, and they had to escape through the Iconian otherworlds gateway to get back to the ship to see him get fixed by La Forge.

Where he actually died first, only to self-correct and literally come back to life, which does not seem to be the hopeful case now. A most alarmed Worf there grabbing him sharply by the arms, still calling his name in shaking him near violently, Data suddenly seems as if to come back online or wake up again, as his skin and eyes suddenly return to normal, and then frowns at Worf who still clutches for him feeling his strong grip.

Worf now frowning at his own scowl letting go of him quickly utterly surprised now, thinking he might have self-corrected after all, Data then very calmly asks him, why he had grabbed him, obviously not even aware that he had been temporarily not quite, compos mentis as it were, apparently not having noticed any of it, or even still is not at all 'well' functioning.

With the other officers standing in fact around him having been there all along, they look most worried at that. But there he steps back suddenly as if startled by their only then noticed presence, feeling all of a sudden beleaguered by their intense gazes. Until he hits one of the aft station consoles all within a few seconds only, and just stares at them as if they were trying to corral him, still obviously malfunctioning somehow.

As he does not seem to gather the idea of their true alarm almost feeling afraid of them, he only sees them suddenly in an utterly distorted way. Like horrible grimaces playing out their heinous demon glances on their skeletal faces, and he seems to lose all rational directive of his inner logic. While they merely want to try to help him, he but only feels intensely cornered getting more and more out of his sane mind, when both the bridge doors open nearly simultaneously and the before called parties rush in from both ends, with half of all of them still in their night and dressing gowns obviously, and the bridge crew at once disperses to let them get to Data.

Soong with Crusher and La Forge coming in from one end, Bashir with Wesley, Riker and Troi are dashing inside from the other. Soong so rushing to Data first, asking Worf what had happened even though she actually knows just too well what is going on, she but wants him to explains it short and sharp in a mere thirty words, for everyone else.

"Data appeared 'blind' suddenly, then his defaulted eyes fluttered his face started twitching, seemed to self-correct but then just paralysed, and stared at us all scared out of his brain!"

Before either doctor can get closer to him while the others all congregate into a semi circle behind Worf looking most concerned, she replies in heading for Data.

"You just named all the key words Worf," she replies stepping into their ways, adding calmly in shaking her head.

"No Julian, Doctor," she holds them backs in holding out her arms to block them both passively. "Let me try first, I believe I know what's wrong with him…"

Data just standing there frozen with inexplicable fear, he is staring at her just the same, not even recognising any of them anymore while she tries to keep the crowd at bay. As they so all move back further to give him room, on her gesturing them to step back a bit more, and with them all refraining for the moment, they nod at her in stepping to one side. With her interface back on her wrist ready and active, and turning to Data there, she slowly approaches him as she inputs some code in merely gazing at him quietly, concentrating hard while he just stares at her black arm, reminding him only of the Borg again.

Still seeing the crew all more or less in a very menacing skeletal form, and this black, red-eyed blinking object looking like a Borg arm, or even his own stripped arm from all these years back, he even just had thought of, he is getting his distressed thoughts all muddled up suddenly. Staring at her arm, and then at his own arm utterly confused now, seeing it once more stripped of the live flesh, the past's traumatic events suddenly seem to superimpose themselves again on his apparently highly cross-wired mind.

All of a sudden even seeing her as he had seen the Borg Crosis of even more years ago, and he was Lore's once right hand while he had been their prisoner on board the _D_, Crosis had activated his own control device on his arm when Data was talking to him about his very disturbing experience on Ohniaka III, and he had killed one of them in cold rage. By that subversive act it effectively had sealed their utter command over Data, as it had tapped right into his ethical program to utterly corrupt it later by Lore's chip control, and his every sane rhyme and rational reason.

Yet suddenly terribly afraid of him at this very moment, all he sees is this ugly old vision of Crosis there merging with her own grotesque image, looking suddenly like the powerful Borg Queen herself besides. Approaching him maliciously while he was her bound captive glaring and leering at him, before she had become much nicer to him eventually, he is not even hearing much again either, as merely a slowed muffle of their intermingling contorted voices. Just as he had heard her entire hive voices himself, yet they had been so clear and calm whilst he was trapped behind the forcefield to regenerate after his near completed transformation into a full Human.

Suddenly he there wants to dash sideways in looking to the one free turbolift behind him, but by then she has tapped into his cross-wired brain, as Troi whispers to herself that he is utterly terrified, and everyone else is afraid to even breathe not to frighten him even more now. Soong glancing stealthily at Riker there, she says to him quietly, to slowly move himself over to the turbolift to block his way passively and not to touch him. Riker doing so swiftly and carefully for his tall and impressive stature to build a strong barrier, she then says calmly to Worf to ready himself to catch Data, and Worf so steps beside her.

And surely then, Data finally gone scared utterly witless with both of them encroaching on him, he intents to leap into Riker's way. Who instantly blocks him by jutting out his arms, and as she looks at Data sharply in slightly pushing Worf after him with a last direct mental input, Data immediately just collapses on the spot like he had several times before when he was suddenly just switched off. As he is about to hit the floor hard like a felled tree, Worf is catching his fall and lays him down gently face up with Riker's help.

Both powerful enough to manage his very heavy weight not to drop like a rock, he is rendered without a sound or any life left in him and eyes closed, and is looking like he had just died, again. Everyone very shocked as they both retreat to let her go down to him, they inhale sharply with big eyes, and Wesley even to call out his name when he simply plunges into himself, and all the more with Troi utterly distraught to see him like this, almost wanting to dash for him herself feeling his terror besides.

Neither knowing Soong had caused him to suddenly collapse like that for the moment, with Riker back with his wife trying to comfort her, Bashir and Worf and La Forge remember that she had mentioned The Grid could do the same, and are not quite so startled. Gathering the idea that her interface or even herself by mere thought could just have done that, La Forge still needs to look away for a moment, only seeing him so 'dead' again. Bashir patting him on the shoulder with a sigh, seeing Data or even Bellfort again just the same like dead, she then enlightens them rather poised.

"Not to worry, I know what happened, and shut him down," is her calm explanation.

Kneeling beside him to check his eyes, and everyone just gapes at her, or poor Data or Lore as it were, they watch her as she looks into his fully defaulted eyes again, and adds while keying in some other code into her interface, very much composed and ever so superior.

"His special eye implants he got from Bellfort cross-wired with his own previous ocular settings, and short-circuited his brain into temporary partial blindness, rendering them unable to detect certain vision fields, like our optical nerve deletes an object close-up when within the blind spot. But they locked up, and then it all distorted his entire vision centre into believing he received grotesque skeletal 'Borg' form images of us all, merging with some of his traumatic past experiences," comes her fantastic clarification they take face value at once.

"He saw me as a cross of Lore's former right hand Crosis when I touched my interface, when he had done the same so many years back to gain control over his mind, and then the Borg Queen with the ugly flashbacks of her imposing herself on his body while still her bound captive. It all just compounded his judicious thinking in the same way as it happened, when his ethical program was utterly corrupted by Lore's direct interference with him then, which shows that he had suffered these events more deeply than even he might have felt them himself at any time."

Everybody very much amazed about her so keen perception of any of this, and feel all the more sorry about the ghastly event for Data, she only calmly works her interface and explains more startling facts to their stumm attention.

"In a sense it can be called delayed post traumatic stress disorder, and I can feel what he feels, and saw all that myself in his mind's eye as it were," she continues at their amazed silence. "He became suddenly so afraid with his attacked emotions on a renewed meltdown curve, and was believing us evil Borg demons who wanted to recapture him. Myself he saw as the Queen trying to torture him again rather than seduce, completely obliterating his much more pleasant encounter with her later," come her further words of revelations they hardly could imagine.

Which makes them feel all the more guilty now, since they never even gathered that, despite Data's most vocal protestations right after the Borg siege had been dead halted by his killing her.

"When he tried to escape, all he saw in Riker was Crosis to regain power over his influenced mind again," Soong elucidated further. "So in this unhappy case he experienced all this as and purely generated by Data's prevailing image memories, not as or by Lore's at all who in part had done that to him. But in fact, both wanted to flee this horrible experience either way to be repeated, with the powerful Queen as the most disturbing harbinger of his so conflicting experiences with her in between, in my place… he didn't even hear us, watch this…"

Everyone just gazing at her so composed and all the more fascinating account, La Forge and Bashir along with Worf back with them already sigh up relieved, remembering her to have said exactly the same last words before, gathering what will happen next. Looking at each other knowingly with everyone else just waiting and frowning at the other, Soong moves back a bit behind Data's head out of his direct view, and with a last thought then, exactly as the Borg Queen could even control force fields, which back then had blocked Data's very own escape while in her initially most unwilling captivity, with Soong not even touching her 'Borg' interface either she commands him to wake up again.

Data so suddenly opening his eyes again looking all that vivid purple, he moves up sharply. Instantly seeing the group of most astounded crew standing there all just gaping at him, and then look at her as she merely smiles at their perplexed eyes in slowly standing up herself, they are just spellbound. Seeing Worf and Bashir with La Forge merely smiling at the other pleased, Data then reacts utterly puzzled in getting up as if nothing much had happened, in one straight and snappy move, to all their most relieved and marvelled faces.

"What happened? What have I done now where is my Arika?" sounds his frowning wonder.

Everyone gasping up in even greater relief and head-shaking wonder at his truly Dataesque demeanour, Soong directly behind him so touches for his shoulder there, and he turns around. Instantaneously remembering, he shakes his head while everyone comes closer again, and he ponders for a moment while she smiles at him in touching for his if ever possible, blushing cheek.

"It appears Bellfort's Augen implants cross-wired with my previous ocular settings I seem to have slightly misaligned, and they locked up," spill his words of sudden realisation.

Nodding at his utterly recaptured self, Soong replies as the others come even closer, in smiling at his slightly embarrassed pout.

"Apparently my dear," she replies with a dear caress to his hair. "It looks like you had a remarkably scary flashback vision trip down Borg horror lane there, with some ghastly skeletons and your Borg Queen and 'friend' Crosis unearthed by that."

Not quite sure how to take her last remark titling his head at her smile, Data for the moment just finds it only fairly amusing, and then tilts his head again with a casual, "Some vision indeed," at everyone's smiling nodding at his slight puzzlement.

"The next time just call me first Worf, and don't wake the whole ship will you please, hm?" she then says to Worf in coming very closely to his ear in stepping next to him.

Worf so replying with a sharp, "I will, Sir!" by that Data turns back to 'his crew', and simply says all the more officially now, almost feeling embarrassed suddenly.

"You heard the Commander, why are you still here crew? Off to bed now hush hush, and have a good night," he orders them in waving them towards the turbolifts. "You please resume your posts," he adds with a stern look at the bridge crew. "And you tell me what was the tech snag Worf please?" Data declares in stepping next to Worf himself.

All getting the funny idea of his straight attempt to appear perfectly fine and back to normal, over normal as it were, it makes it even more funny, while they all suddenly scramble over each other trying to leave with an almost united, "Aye Sir!"

Even Riker and Troi and definitely Wesley, not really yet or again part of their crew for sure, but are just all playing along gladly, and with the nightgown and Ten-Forward group squeezing into the nearest turbolift, they are thinking this was all just most wondrous fun, again.

Including Soong, who touches stealthily for his hand in passing Data, and he presses once with a quick glance at her smile, not to blow his assumed cool officer cloak, while the others resume their posts all smiling away, and Worf so points Data to the aft station. Lieutenants Taitt and Barclay back there, as Wallace and Schneider return to do their jobs all the happier now and the the others are finally gone, all is back to normal.

For now.

9


	3. Chapter 27 Final Mission

Final Mission-----------------------------------------------------------

By the next morning, everyone is present in the brand-new Obs lounge, looking more or less the same as the previous one but is slightly larger, and all are sitting around the same massive, polished Art Deco dark wood table. Now holding another very cubistic painting in place of the large LCARS screen, this time depicting Wassily Kandinsky's 1909 purplish graphic, 'Yellow, Red, Blue' theme picture, and as usual it also features all the previous _USS Enterprise_ ships as very detailed models sitting in a large and softly lit wall cabinet, made of old-fashioned gold-plated brass.

All present in their new uniforms with their shiny combadges and all new features and gadgets attached, Picard is sitting at the head-end, while Data and Soong are closest to each his side, with La Forge placed behind him, and Bashir behind her. So followed by Crusher and Wesley, sitting opposite them are Troi and Riker, still sporting his four captain pips, Worf is located right at the other head-end for now, facing the Captain straight on.

With all more or less awake-looking, bar Data perhaps ever not tired-looking, Picard so raises the questions of the day.

"Now people, tour of duty – what is the tech side of things, Geordi?" he asks him directly.

"We're ready to fly Captain" comes his confident reply. "To make it short, all systems are fully operational, we reconfigured all the new gadgets, the ETUs and new 'biophasers' all work. The sensor array snag was fixed, deflector shields can be extended by twenty-five percent, regenerative and emergency shields are in shape. The new ablative armour, secondary weapons and cloaking device are all online, and the only thing we couldn't test yet, is the multivector mode, but diagnostics say it'll work…"

"The only one who can actually perform the separation for the moment is Data, who's training Lt Schneider to manage that in a holodeck simulation as it were, with a bit of Wesley in between very keen and rather versed in it already – so we're set to go Captain **but**," he suddenly adds in raising his right index finger. "We ran into another little tech snag, with these fancy 'PUCS'."

With Picard going, "Oh?" La Forge there turns to Data looking back at him, and both so getting up on his nod, La Forge says, "Observe…"

La Forge pressing hard on his uniform pocket, for the PUCS to initiate the personal uniform cloaking sequencer to render him invisible, he instantly vanishes at everyone's most amazed eyes. Bar Data's and Soong's, or Wesley's perhaps, who is only grinning all pleased, for Picard nodding most impressed, and then asks with a frown into the general direction where La Forge was last seen.

"So-um, what's the snag then Geordi, we can't see you at all it does work?" he says in peering around.

La Forge sniggering up invisibly, he suddenly appears behind him transpiring near instantly again, and everyone is all the more astonished, and then stepping beside Picard, he then says in pointing to Data, "Well, look at this…" and everyone so frowning near excited, they watch Data again.

Data activating his PUCS, the sequencer does initiate, but it leaves him still ca. ninety-nine point five percent visible, or merely half a-hundredth part invisible as it were, and is looking like a slightly transparent ghost image only and can still clearly be seen, not at all disappeared entirely. All so going near disappointed in unison, 'uhh', with Wesley shrugging his shoulders, and Picard frowning even more now, they all look at Soong who merely shakes her head.

Data deactivating his PUCS, he returns to a total image again in an instant, they both sit down again, and Soong explains at everyone's keenest interest to be sure.

"Well, the special personal uniform cloaking sequencer doesn't fully deploy, for Data's near one hundred percent cybernetic nature even though our father did integrate a few minor bio components, and since this is Lore's shell, even carries his own DNA sequence," Soong explains to their already captivated attention. "Meaning, the lesser any organic element is present, the lesser the device literately renders any user invisible…"

"Reason being, it needs to accurately lock on to the bioelectrical signal an organic body emits or rather the brain, and not a positronic one either, so in fact it only works on anything **but** 'synthetic' matter. The anyon levels to reinitiate visibility can't be lowered to achieve that, like with the ship's cloaking device working on tech only, which can't be applied to live organic matter successfully as too unstable and unsafe, even though it is based on that same technology…"

Everyone nodding there rather disappointed and to signal their understanding, she so elaborates after her short 'trademark' gaze into this void of hers.

"Which had once happened to La Forge and Ensign Ro in that accident which rendered them cloaked eleven years back now," comes her example for their better understanding. "So it cannot be applied to positronic matter in general, at the different particle readings. In my case it just about still does work despite my positronic brain and plenty implants, for my otherwise fully biological nature to compensate, but I still would appear just a bit 'ghostly'. Like La Forge and Ro had then before they could be made visible again with the max level anyon spray, which Data had used to bring them back. But it doesn't leave any much chroniton particles in contrast to then, which on long-term exposure are harmful to organic matter."

All just looking at the other most intrigued if left unsatisfied for sure, remembering that most bizarre incident at that, thinking they had been lost and even held a wake for them on Data's arrangements, they merely wait for her to pick up her mental thread as she is looking away for a moment. As if pondering and speaking two different things all together, before she then looks and sighs up with much better news.

"In Worf's case however the device will work even twice the twenty minutes for all his redundant, extra Klingon organs," the Professor tells them at Worf's instant grin. "Before it needs recharging for a minute by a tricorder, which Data had asked the crew to reconfigure to be able to do that, which can apparently be repeated indefinitely unless damaged, but I wouldn't bet on it," she adds with a cautioning wave of her right hand.

"So the more organic substance the longer the PUCS will last, or deploy faster in the first place. But it only works to start with when the smart-fabric uniform is worn bear that in mind, both 'tuned' tunic and special trousers, as it needs to directly 'feed' on your bio readings made detectable by them," comes her additional most vital info.

"And which should never be damaged beyond necessity not to disable the sectioned cloaking properties it needs to activate the sequence, or be washed, well not with water anyway, needs special handling or it will release too much of these harmful chroniton particles," she warns them to their nodding understanding. "The device actually tells you when it's time to replace the smart fabrics to lock on properly, or when it needs recharging"

Everyone now looking at unlucky lucky Data and even more fortunate Worf, merely shrugging his shoulders with another cheesy grin at them, and then look back at her, they watch her 'void gaze' there for a moment again. All gazing at the other not sure why she stopped, bar Bashir or Worf and La Forge having witnessed her do it so often now, or Data and Picard, who just shakes his head slightly at their inquisitive frowns, they simply wait looking back at her before she promptly continues.

"Just take the fact that Data can't be read as bio lifeform, despite his new Augen to be suspended in a gelatinous bio medium to move smoothly inside the ocular cavity not to stick, very much like real eyes, and his servos with special lubrication. You might have heard Data say, he needs to lubricate his 'biofunctions', which are regulated by his biomechanical maintenance program. Not because he's cybernetics, but this 'synthetic blood' which distributes his biochemical lubricants, needs these semi-organic nutrients to feed it, just like ours requires nutrients, same difference," comes her most amazing rendition of course no one ever knew or thought of, making Data or indeed Lore, even more 'human' in literally biological terms than they all ever had gathered.

"That's why Data actually could be infected by this PSI 2000 virus making everyone 'drunk' having had the same components, just as his bioplast skin is made of minute organic compounds, his neural net in part, and he has real hair. Which has no DNA structure by the way, only organic matter, despite follicles that stimulate it to grow on command. But, all this and his four litre 'blood' are still too nominal to be detected for the PUCS to work fully, and his positronic signature cannot be read for his own permanent cloaking program so no scanner could pick up on either. Which is based on the same ship's cloaking properties if not in invisibility effect, and is harmless to him as a near fully technological lifeform," comes another highly interesting information La Forge most of all finds staggering.

Soong again looking into her own mysterious inner thoughts there, she soon again continues after another apparent reflection on her own words, to have passed or to come, at everyone's highly engaged interest over her actual most informative words.

"Bar the confounded Son'a were apparently able to pick up on his positronic readings, well Data's then, and with Lore virtually identical in that field it would be the same, and I could actually change if I had the Son'a's scanning frequency to block that now," is her proposal they all find most reasonable at that. "Just like the _**E **_could pick up on 'B-4's' in contrast to the _**D **_unable to detect Data's not only at the slightly different positronic output, but for this cloaking feature…"

"With 'B-4' never having had this cloaking setting, 'Bellfort' however had this special biocyber program, which made him appear a hundred percent biological Human, turning it all on its head," she reminds them. "Just like with our mother Juliana if you all can recall that, to mimic human life basically, and no scanner could detect either only giving a false bio reading, on father's special feedback processor design," the Professor recalls for them all.

Everyone remembering their remarried mother Dr Tainer, and her having been found out another Soong-type android while she was aboard the _D_ some years back now, they nod at each other, and after another few seconds of inner reflection, Soong so continues her official briefing with ever more highly intriguing details.

"So when we discovered that PUCS snag this morning by sheer chance testing it for himself, I actually tried to install their biocyber program we hadn't done yet, and it did take and all and can be run permanently," she elucidates further. "But with Lore's or Data's identical original cloaking program, I don't want to uninstall either, now unfortunately would negate the whole idea of the PUCS, and they cancel each other out like a double negative, it's simply not compatible," comes her drawback point.

"Meaning in his case only one can be online, and to stay undetectable as before, bar his positronic reading can still be picked up by this ship's scanners now the same. Or The Grid actually, which could auto relay that to any other ship's scanners, to find him in case his combadge malfunctions, just as my interface can," she adds as a most helpful feature for 'dead' sure.

Giving it another moment to sink in for all to generally comprehend her tech accounts, she then carries on her most interesting account.

"So it can only engage the PUCS invisible mode when the biocyber program is online, which fools the device into believing to be fully organic, but not both," she recommences at their full attention. "Even though they can be run together without the PUCS application, to appear a full Human like Bellfort, so the only thing he can do is switch, for the biocyber program to be re-or deactivated. Which he could do via his autocue, or use this extra finger device to do it automatically on constant re-upload as needed, to auto sequence the PUCS, if he wouldn't seem to need it for other applications and only takes a second, even less than we would need to press the thing, which is still pretty nifty I might add."

With all waiting for her to continue, after just about getting the very complex idea of these odd program hitches, or more so her most peculiar short reflections and fairly nonchalant and humorous undertone, they are all the more intrigued now by his very nifty re-construction for sure. Data there even looking at his fingers as it were, just to make sure they are still there to use this nifty devices, and with all smiling at his own little lost moment, she there looks at his elegantly defined fingers just the same and his ever so sharply angular thumbs, giving him a smile and dear caress.

Soong then nodding at an amused La Forge, he so concludes her report for her nodding back at them both.

"But that's not even the problem, or maybe not really," La Forge carries on. "But Data's new old thumb beamout device or program has only a limited range, even if boosted by her interface or supercomputer or even if the ship would help, yet would not reach far enough to manage ship-to-surface or vice versa lock on, with an average 60 000 kilometre ship-in-orbit distance required," he details further not quite happy about it for sure.

"The device is simply not powerful enough," he continues. "It works fine up to 500 kilometre just like the combadge, which needs ship boosting to be at all readable anyway. Just like the ETUs are based on the site-to-site transporter, but they just about manage that which is still a tech feat either way. So the usual beaming still has to come into play beyond that range in any case. You simply can't get juice out of a warp engine without any nacelles, same difference, but it'll be of great help otherwise."

Pausing there for a moment for all to absorb all these more tech related issues, he then adds something much more positive, for a change.

"And I have been able to actually make them cloneable by a different way of replicating them, on the Professor's idea, to use and base them on her supercomputer's capability to clone data, I mean not our Data, that really would be a tech feat," he throws in by touching Data's arm with all smiling at them just thinking to get another Data by simply replicating him that easily, which would be more than helpful, but of course would bring up the 'race' issue again no one wants to even think of.

"I mean pure computer 'data', literally the very function information of the device itself, so to work just as perfectly as an exact binary copy," he elaborates. "Which then can be transferred into another replicateable device, so with the PUCS he just has to improvise and have either the biocyber program online for it to enable, or not to then be rendered scan-unreadable as before. He doesn't have to be twice as invisible as us really now does he," the chief engineer so concludes his humorously delivered and most useful report.

The entire table having listened most attentively, and they are left all the more fascinated by her casual delivery and actual first account, since Riker, Troi and the Crushers have never met her before and observed her peculiar mannerisms, they look at the other every now and then more than intrigued or rather disappointed then, for Data losing out on the double chance to stay undetectable.

Yet at La Forge's new nifty invention coming to light instead and humorous last line again, they just have to giggle at his funny remark for even Data to smile, and with everyone else sighing up relieved, Picard there grumbles first not at all happy, and then says as no one seems to have a better idea besides.

"Hm well, no not really no, but that's in fact not perfect then is it?" he mumbles up. "Whoever devised that PUCS thing obviously didn't consider the cyber implant side of officers, not very clever that. But if you can manage to switch Data, I'd rather have you be enabled to become 'invisible' rather than scanner undetectable when undercover let's say, it's at your disposal."

Data nodding sharply with an, "As you wish Captain," Picard so reiterates quickly.

"So well-um, the ETUs they came up with on Geordi's design then, are basically only good up to 500 kilometre, like your old and most 'nifty' and I must say it is that, beamout 'thumb' device or program what an idea your father had there marvellous really," Picard compliments the Soongs at that. "Hm, yeah well so they're both obviously brilliant enough for what they can manage, and would have saved-um, Data's life. Terrible really, we kept Lore here all the time and he had this unbelievable device, and we had not the slightest clue about it," he laments with all just sighing deeply at the indeed grave oversight.

Everyone looking at a no lesser placid Data there for a moment, it is all the more bizarrely tragic to think he 'technically' died for such a brilliant device, or the missing of one of those cheap little ETU. And then again however is sitting right there again with exactly that 'handy' device attached to his finger, as this is of course Lore's shell, just as Data as a single man is still gone.

Picard so heaving another sigh at the most peculiar if not equally depressing and staggering facts, he so adds what all are thinking just the same.

"But of course now you can utilise it not to happen again, and we're able to use them for exactly such an emergency and could get out of a hairy situation much safer, if getting beamed out directly is not an option," he recaps with a nod. "But you're right, what's not there just isn't there, as long as we know of the shortcomings. I'm very pleased you could find a clever way to clone these handy things on the Professor's 'input', without us needing to wait to get more from Starfleet, well done Geordi," he praises him in turn. "Let's just hope all this fancy new ship gadgetry does not cancel each other out at some point just the same, or whatever else might fail it to work."

All agreeing on that in nodding at them both, Picard then heaves an even bigger sigh, and so comes to the more unpleasant side of their covert mission, at long last.

"Well now, we have to discuss this blasted mission finally, we know what it is all about except the crew, and they don't have to, for now – it would just creep them out," he simply declarers. "So what-um else, have you found out Will?"

Riker there sighing himself with his usual covering his mouth for a moment with his hand, he then replies with everyone's eyes on him now.

"Well, according to the few bits of Intel we could gather from the fatal encounters, with no one left alive to verify really, bar one of our own ships' two survivors which had come across some sector in the Gamma Quadrant far enough from the Dominion not even fully explored yet very close to the Delta Quadrant, they also seem to have fallen victim to this, new 'breed' really as it were, a splinter group of some sort," he suddenly remarks to their great unease already with all merely staring at him seriously silent.

"Maybe they even derived from Species 8472 which rapidly gained in count, or vice versa who knows," he adds with shrugging shoulders and no one else any cleverer for sure. "They appear to snare ships into their vicinity by some unknown means since half a year now only for some reason, and have caused plenty ships suddenly just to vanish from all around the Federation, and we must assume others like the Borg besides might have fallen victims to them too as it were."

Pausing there, they all look at him most concerned already, before he then continues even lesser optimistically voiced.

"None of them left any traces nothing at all and no one ever returned bar this one ship, it was utterly destroyed, adrift with no idea how it got that severely damaged with no indication of any known weapons having caused that, or how she escaped," Riker continues his very depressing report. "And only one survivor was literally left with all his few hundred crew gone, who could finally give a little insight before he just died of, well, emaciation would be the right word," he speculates with a serious pout.

"But for the time he had arrived there to when he was found, there's no way to starve that fast, and he simply died of utter depletion of everything organic really, just wasted away as if been neurally drained of all energy and mummified within a day or two. Very much as the Devidian II aliens practiced, and the only things left on them were non-organic materials."

No one not too pleased already, they but there look at Data suddenly again, who only frowns back at them not quite sure why, even though he of course can gather for him to be the only near 'non-organic' lifeform, and is not happy about it at any rate, before Riker then continues his own most serious briefing.

"It's really not much to go on, except the plenty auto relayed reports from all sorts of involved parties of dozens of ships simply having gone lost, which were all received oddly without any image files left intact," he adds to their even greater mystification. "And it has become evident, that all kinds of scanning attempts proved absolute zero, and all-type probes were utterly unsuccessful, never came back either not even transmitting," Riker explains further to their even greater unease.

"We have no idea about weapons if any or anything factual bar this, but they seem to have a name," he suddenly mentions. "No idea how they came to know it, but this poor soul said they call themselves, the Diaspora, 'Schoss-Taakk', or at least that's what was ringing in his terrified head, to think they sound like that when formed to actual words by the universal translator, and that's the only device to pick up on anything oddly enough," he tells them more than amazed himself. "But it can't get us anywhere nearer to anything otherwise, no idea what it means if anything or what language if any, the _Titan_'s got a record of it," Riker so concludes his most undesirable account.

All not badly surprised and quite disturbed enough already, they look at the other again, and then at Data once more, who in turn frowns at their obvious thoughts, literally so, before Picard then replies in shaking his head not at all pleased to say the least.

"Sounds half old German half Klingon to me, and bad, very very bad for sure," the Captain sighs up with a frown. "An unknown, new or even ancient much deadlier species which can vanquish ships and turn people into mummies, great just great. They probably had them all for dinner, like the Crystalline Entity ravaged whole planets, including their ships, you know that that means?" he asks rhetorically into the round with all knowing the answer to that already. "Now we have to find the most non-organic lifeform on board to be sent out to investigate this, so, who are the least 'biological' officers aboard both our ships, Data?" he address him directly in turn.

All looking there again at poor Data, he gets the very unpleasant idea and replies all the more unperturbed, at Soong's extreme unease about the whole doomed mission, which stems all but right from his very own deepest fears, save for seemingly having his emotions turned down so far, that it does not appear to cause him obvious apprehension, as of yet.

"As it were, I appear to be the only fully, well, ninety-seven point fifty-two percent cybernetic officer on board the _Enterprise _Sir," Data explains already most detailed for sure. "Bar our Professor with twenty-two percent implants, and Lt Schneider, who has an artificial leg, and Geordi with his bionic eyes, and no less you Captain with your bionic heart," he declares in pointing at him with an upturned hand.

"But of course as your FO I cannot permit you to accompany me under section twelve paragraph four, or even Lt Schneider as we will need for him to perform a possible multivector assault mode separation until Wesley manages it," he quickly adds. "And the only other officer capable of doing all I can, or vice versa is the Professor, we but cannot afford to accompany me neither because she would need to back me up on board as it were," sounds his resolute statement.

Data looking at her there for a moment, he then proceeds on her nod back, knowing far too well she definitely cannot accompany him, just in case both might get into trouble and leave the ship vulnerable again beyond reason, and Picard most of all cannot ever permit.

"But there are three other officers on board the _Titan_, with one navigator to own a prosthetic arm Lt Roger Mirfield, the aft station science officer to attribute a tritanium plate in her skull Lt Moll Barrowclough, and your SO Lt Cmdr Laurence Bellefonte, who had both his knees replaced by articulated implants after an accident," Data so counts down as alternative. "But it is certainly your call Captain Riker, to either see them attached to my mission or not as members of your core crew, so I will do my best on my own to investigate this mysterious new 'species', Sir."

Riker shaking his head rapidly on Picard's own sharp disagreement, he interrupts Data's turn of explanation holding up his hands, and says with everyone attending to him again.

"Um no Data, no," Riker objects. "They will accompany you, we can't let you go out there completely on your own no way, we've done it too often in grave error and things went horribly wrong for you each time no one could anticipate or even you were able to prevent, bar for us take better precautions," he says resolutely. No, you need at least backup on the ground, no, I take full responsibility either way Data."

Picard nodding at him emphatically, Data so looking at Riker with a short nod, thankful enough to think of his better safety this time in turn, he then continues in adding the following.

"Thank you Sir – apart from this I can specify coming back to the new specie's apparent appellation, that, 'Schoss' in this case would mean, shot as in past tense in German indeed," comes his intriguing grammatical analysis. "And as for, 'Taakk', it could mean several things in many known language forms, but since we cannot even recognize it to stem from any linguistic structure, as perhaps plain expletive utterance, I cannot determine its final connotation, Sir."

Picard nodding at him there with a smiling, "Thank you Data," at his try to be as thorough and yet not too elaborating, as they would not want to sit listening to his well-known extensive linguistic floridness, at least not at this particular moment, he indeed had gathered that over the years indeed and tries to be as concise as possible at this moment.

Although it seems, for a second they do not even want to discourage him, as they appear to be aware of the fact always to have cut him off just the same, and are even waiting for him to continue. But for now he merely cuts it short himself, and then nods back at Picard on a half note, who then adds no lesser seriously intoned.

"Hm, I don't like this at all" Picard grumbles on. "Can't we use the new sensor array to get anything out of it before we even have to set foot into the damned sector?"

Not sure whom to address with that specific question, looking at Data first who then looks at La Forge as if he wanted to give the others a chance to add their own valuable knowledge, he then leans back and replies with a nod as everyone attend to La Forge now in turn.

"Well we have to try the array anyhow as soon as we have cleared the Bajoran wormhole," he interpolates with a sigh. "The little tech snag yesterday actually needed us to reconfigure certain things again, so it might even be of greater help for getting more accurate readings on the unknown lifeform lurking around out there, these 'Schoss-Taakk' if we're lucky. Now it's even better than the average Nebula class sensor module, and very capable Lt Taitt is currently being trained by Data to handle the extra applications while he's not available, or the Professor… so yes, if none of our other scanners will work it seems anyhow, all we can do is get there and play cloak hide and sensor seek," comes his casual recommendation.

Despite the darker mood they all have to giggle at his last remark, so to lift the mood again as it were, bar Data's perhaps only thinking of his dangerous enough sounding investigation to come. Soong feeling his inner unease rising he does not even want to hide, and with Picard sighing deeply again, he nods to himself in leaning back, being not the least more in the mood to actually send him out there in the first place.

Into this so far most fatal unknown, not feeling too positive about the whole mission either, only reminding him of the last one which ended in his horrible death, even though he is sitting right there, again, no matter in the guise of his brother, and everybody else seems to experience exactly the same grave misgivings, as he then says in addressing Riker again.

"So-um, can we actually determine where exactly the last ship went missing then, Will?"

With everyone looking at Riker again the same, he so nods and replies just as seriously.

"Yes – the _Titan_ has been programmed with the last known co-ordinates, this part of the sector hasn't even yet been fully explored and is classified as the 'DeMoy Nebula' zone for now at the last lieutenant's fatal encounter with it who died, in honour of his brave attempt to escape with some more useful Intel," Riker elucidates. "So all Data needs to do is to remote pilot her and otherwise unmanned after we passed the Bajoran wormhole followed by the _F _will, to send her out first as a decoy so to speak, then board her there later if nothing happened," comes his suggestion.

"I know no one ever remote piloted a Starship at warp speed through a blooming wormhole followed by another, but I'm sure with your fancy new gadgets and Data's unsurpassed nifty finger skills, we'll manage just fine," he adds in looking at Data with a confident smile. "And then we scan the hell out of the sector before you really have to be sent down there."

Smiling at Data with a very supportive grin, Data returns it with a grateful, "Thank you for you vote of confidence Captain," addressing him with his still applicable current title, as Riker so concludes with an amused nod over his fairly passive reply.

"It apparently features some class H or even K planet as of yet unknown name, very much as early Tau Cygna V. Even though Lt DeMoy had called it, 'Iceman Hell' planet because it's desert dry and very cold there but not in the snow and ice terms," he draws as analogies. "I'm sure it's very apt, so let's hope the new array comes up with something useful, before Data has to pay the Schoss-Taakk a surprise visit hiding out there."

All just sighing at that as they look at poor Data again, none feeling too clever besides considering all these factors against him, Riker so concludes trying not to sound too pessimistic.

"We simply have no idea how they look, who what why or since when they are, except they don't seem to leave their place of 'hell' and venture out like the Borg," Riker presumes further. "They might have no means of space travel and just capture their prey in this unknown fashion, it's like a sudden undeclared war, they ensnare all bio lifeforms and we have to infiltrate their lair to stop them, or Data has to," he adds with a very doubtful voice this to be in order. "I doubt the Prime Directive would apply anyway, and just to say this, I'm not very happy about the whole new 'mission' here again Jean-Luc, it stinks to 'hell' to be honest."

All again nodding at that silently, and then look at poor Data again, knowing exactly what he refers to, plus to have him perform this never before undertaken remote piloting, Picard sighs plagued already and replies all the lesser inclined to even reach into the Gamma Quadrant, to send him down to this 'hell planet'.

"Yeah well I know Will and agree fully," Picard states sharply. "But unless we all want to lose our jobs, or get court-martialled as deserters, or resign not to, we just have to continue with this blasted 'mission'," he moans in addition. "So let's just pull all our very good new tech resources, and deploy all extra security factors and make sure nothing drastic can happen. We previously have been fairly negligent in several of these fields and endangered Away Teams needlessly, especially with Data," comes his official acknowledgement finally in looking at him straight. "I'm confident you will handle this remote piloting with ease, but tell me, could you reconfigure Bellfort's handy new Augen, after your frightening experience on the bridge, to manage transmitting what you will encounter on this, 'Iceman Hell' planet?"

Riker and Troi along with the Crushers not quite gathering what he means by that, they all frown at each other mystified, and Bashir and Worf' along with La Forge not really knowing either, as neither have actually heard about this very useful extra application as of yet, only Picard and Soong show an amused smirk, till Data so explains it, 'in short'.

"Yes thank you Sir I could, they still even had recorded what I actually visualised in error, despite the factum that they were implanted slightly misaligned and my reconfiguration was amiss by 0.68 microns," Data explains to their renewed great wonder. "And thus they cross-wired with my older ocular settings and corrupted certain memory file images which actually had made me see these merged imageries in the first place, just as the Professor said and saw herself," he adds with a tender look at her she gladly returns.

"But I have tested them once more after that, and they can record and transmit in the literal sense anything I see now perfectly, and to any compatible monitor device," Data assures them. "Very much as you have seen through Geordi's VISOR once as direct feed, when we were on the Talarian freighter now sixteen years ago, except these images will be real life as we all see them now, and shown in real time with no delay," he clarifies to their silent astonishment.

Giving everyone a needed breather as to even try to understand what he just said, they just stare at him more than fascinated at the given facts, until he so explains further, as ever most accurately and fairly lengthy, just to be as efficient as they can take him to be, or even if not, but will not ever attempt to cut him short as of yet again.

"I have reconfigured the ship's computer system to accommodate that new function via The Grid, or even my quarter's mainframe and her interface, to act as medium to boost and broadcast them. If I were close enough, she can even do this in place of me by her very own mind's eye reception and projection capabilities of all I see or even sense, via her own chip, and thus can do the very same and see what my own Augen will capture in her very own brain directly, and be able to send these images to any compatible screen by either these functions in turn," he delivers at great speed and increased wonder to all. "So in short that is a yes, but if you want me to explain the technological side of her abilities, do not hesitate to ask, Sir."

Everyone now gawping at her instead of him, still hardly able to believe what he just said either way, but then again not after what they had witnessed on the bridge, and at Picard's little more insight at his own experiences over her remarkable talents, and her prior most explicit explanations, he is merely grinning all delighted at their amazed own eyes.

But before anyone else can raise a flabbergasted word, and to stop Data from elaborating at this moment as it were, as much as they all actually would like to know how the hell she does it, not even an android herself, Picard just nods rapidly and says with a smile at Data's big eyes, after asking if he would like to know obviously at this moment.

"Yes thank you Data I will do that later as this is truly fascinating stuff," he deflects everyone's eager want to hear more. "Very well then, splendid, Bellfort seems to have been another remarkable biotech wizard to be able to create these most useful 'Augen', which utterly bypass binary computer language to relay these visual data as true images, must run in the family for sure," he compliments them again.

"So fine then yes, I believe that's it for now 'officially', thank you all. But tell me Will, I was wondering, now that we're all together here, and good Worf and Bashir have said farewell to DS9, and I wanted to discuss this with you all, so if I may ask you, to 'demote' yourself for recall to our new _Enterprise_ as my 'other' FO and Troi as my second SO with young Wesley back at our Conn then perhaps, hm?" he asks him straight now with a twinkle in his brown eyes.

Data looking to the ground there suddenly, Soong is rather surprised about that frowning at him. Everybody else seemingly not at all adversed to the bright idea, not even Riker or Troi are as if they had almost waited for this double offer it seems. Even Bashir and Worf and all the more La Forge appear much pleased at the idea at their own decision to stay, just as Crusher is very happy along with Wesley all the more so.

Riker beaming his usual cheerful smile back at his curious eyes, he then nods slowly with a dear pout, and says as Troi clings to his arms in full support smiling at him.

"Well now Jean-Luc couldn't be without us for long now could you hm?" he teases him all delighted. "Well what can I say, we say, we thought about coming back several times now, but of course with what happened before to our old Data, and then my place taken up by our returned Data now and the Professor as your SO, we never asked obviously, but now that you have, nothing would please us more Jean-Luc. I even take up 'second' FO or SO if it meant to return to the _Enterprise_ and be with all our friends again," comes his most honest reply Troi can only agree on with a pleased smile.

"Yes, I even would 'demote' myself freely, and throw in Beverly and Wesley," he adds with a grin at them they in turn can only submit to more than delighted. "I'm sure Cmdr De Lancie will be only too happy to take my place on the _Titan_ later, as I will not want to deprive your new FO of his well-earned status, and would gladly serve under you for a change Data," Riker so gives it to him straight.

Data only there looking up again, Soong having sensed and observed his every very much internal, and external hardly visible reflexes, she feels his innermost pleased reaction to the reply, as he indeed knows about her and most of all, Picard's intent to bring them both back as well. No less safe in the knowledge of his now utterly untouchable status on her sternest insistence not to demote Data, she yet can feel his slight loss over the whole new senior crew reshuffle idea, undetermined in colour as to why exactly, and with everyone very happy, only Data seems rather more objectively touched.

But then again, he seems to have his emotions fairly low set, and so looks at him perfectly dispassionately as usual, and utters as they all gaze at him for his reply.

"I am very pleased for both of you to return to the _Enterprise_, Captain…"

Riker interrupting him there gently in shaking his head at him to desist with further words, he softly cuts into his reply and says with an honest smile as Data stops and listens carefully.

"Whoa Data no no more, please call me Will Data please, at least off duty," he near begs him now in turn with upheld hands. "And on duty I will be merely Commander again please, after all these years and what you did for us all it's only the least fair, please," Riker says resolutely to everyone's silent agreement, especially Soong's of course.

Before Data can reply anything even though just about nods and opens his mouth, Troi there suddenly adds most emphatically with a dear smile and all the happier now, some very resounding words to top her own shining delight at that.

"And you may call me Deanna from now on, you always could have, please Data let's not be so formal with each other anymore," she offers him in turn most seriously. "We have been so very good friends for so long now and cannot be so distant anymore, please, now that we have you back safe and sound, this last silly barrier has to go, and I'm sure I speak for everyone," is her indeed correct assumption in looking into the nodding round.

"I might be ship's Counsellor, but don't call me that or commander please Data no more, not even on duty no," she insists. "I know I have the rank since years but it stands for absolutely nothing really, as neither of us possess even half the stunning skills and knowledge you have Data. Bar the Professor I'm sure, and I'm not even line officer, and took me four times to even manage that darn bridge test," she gladly admits knowing fair well she received that promotion at no real performance merit.

"I'm just not tech oriented enough and shouldn't have pushed it to be honest, and I must apologise to have been so-um, well when I said you can call me 'Sir' after we had retrieved you from Barkon IV, I didn't really mean that Data and should have been more considerate right then and helped you more afterwards, forgive me about that," comes her late but well-received apology Soong of all relishes silently with a satisfied look at her repentant eyes, for finally having been confirmed by herself now over Soong's own words to Picard, he can only agree on again.

"Besides, you should have received that same rank long before me, long before any of us and we all know it's true, for all you've done for any of us so selflessly all the time, and not solely for your 'make'," she assures him with a dear smile. "On the contrary, because of that, it's all been so easy for us all, and so very unfair on you and had kept you back for that Data, and I would even give up my empty rank any time for you any day, or just to be here with you, all," flow her sincerest words into her next column of praise no one will ever top, bar Soong perhaps. Or indeed already has, officially.

"Despite your great competence in your role as Ops chief and most exemplary service to Starfleet far beyond that profession, you have faced unwarranted prejudice and others not half your calibre questioned your every superior abilities," she starts recalling for them all only to nod in unison.

"You even witnessed a most disgraceful trial to determine whether you're their property or a true sentient being, when that had been more than obvious the moment we all met you and I always found a great insult. You used your rare free time to explore the 'little things' and delights of life that Humans and other people on the _Enterprise_ took always for granted, and some even received beyond grace to indulge in sometimes," she adds with a short glance at Worf their resident Klingon, who indeed could indulge in his culture at time beyond the grace of necessity, which he understands as such and does not take personally.

"You tried to understand the fine distinctions of social skills required of what it means being human, and spent much time perfecting your attempts at emulating human emotions and using them whenever possible, which we sometimes simply mistook as futile or humorous failures when they backfired but only in our eyes Data, not yours. Despite your great intelligence and possessing abilities way above ours, and your ceaseless desire to pinpoint any problem to see us all survive day in night out, you yet never saw your rightful promotion or better recognition at their deliberate failure to simply take you as you were Data, and not only see your unique heritage they could exploit till the Professor put a final end to it," she adds with a grateful nod coming from Soong at her certainly relentless endeavours to see to exactly that.

"Yet you kept forging ahead and asked many intelligent questions we sometimes didn't or even couldn't answer, and still went ahead by yourself to aspire to more in spite of our lack of support at times, but in the end you had long proven to be more human than most people, Data and we all know it. Yet you battled on relentlessly for your right to simply be a recognised part of the human, our very family, for your perfect right to merely exist as a beautiful individual. To be respected as whatever you are, to be appreciated and live a contented and creative existence no matter your origins, and you showed us all here on board, what it really means to be 'human', Data, because **you are **human," she emphasises in leaning forwards now looking into his no lesser taken eyes full of black delight about her every so true words, finally hearing it from someone other than Soong to such extent.

Everyone glaring at her by now near tears it seems too with each of her so poignant lines, bar Worf perhaps even though he fully agrees, along with the moved Crushers and a marvelled Bashir, Riker and Picard are keeping it yet together. All the while especially Soong is trying hard not to dissolve again in tears, feeling all too touched now about her so selfless and overflowing recognition of her loved one, and even offered an apology at that to her own part of disregard in the past. Which for once too, just simply had to be said either way amongst them now sitting in peace and harmony, and by whom better than the ever-caring 'Counsellor' of course.

"I was, we all were terribly distressed when you left us so intolerably cruel Data it broke my heart, and we even postponed to go to Betazed for our traditional wedding ceremony, and we still have to hold actually at some point later," Troi explains further to no one's surprise. "Mother for one was truly shocked about it she really was Data, over your terrible death I mean, she liked you very much in fact but never showed it, as rather play 'manhunter'," Troi suddenly discloses no one ever had anticipated, with all sniggering at her last words of funny facts they in contrast had noticed more than once for sure.

"And after our little remembrance toast to you on board the crippled _E_, all I could think of was, how you never were promoted before your so brave and horrible sacrifice, bar for Will's leaving for the _Titan_ being FO for a mere day, and I never understood to be honest even you holding him back Jean-Luc," she states with a recriminating look at Picard, who can only sigh again at a nodding loss over the disgraceful fact alone he will ever have to bear, or better explain soon.

Before Picard however can actually do that, Crusher of all adds herself to the lengthy honorary, and softly cuts into her pause, with all looking at her now listening equally engaged.

"To be honest now Data, as much as it was deeply deeply appreciated for you to have given your life for us all of course, your terrible death felt horribly, 'hollow' to me," the Doctor suddenly declares at their no lesser understanding her symbolic words in silence looking at them all in turn again. "It felt as if it never happened not 'seeing' you die, it was a horrible purposeless demise no matter you saved again so many people, I hope you understand how I mean that Data," she mutters in touching for his arm once dearly reaching across the table, at his indeed perceptive if faint nod to her words he finds more than intriguing in purely human philosophical terms.

"Because we were never even given any real chance to mourn your sudden passing as it was with poor Bellfort for instance, to honour your sacrifice the way you deserved it," she explains further to his now full understanding with everyone else nodding just the same, getting her very special statement only Humans can fully appreciate. "But there never was a body we had to witness leave us, could never even say farewell to you perhaps before your last breath so to speak Data, and had no grave for you to be left to rest we then could visit and tend to in loving remembrance, even though you would have lived on forever in our cherishing memories," she adds with a kind smile with all nodding again just so to underline her kind remark.

"But we Humans need something more than our precious memories to feel an undying tie to someone we all loved in soul **and **body as it were, so we can close that chapter of our live we had shared with you, and then can look ahead in peace, just as it had happened with Tasha, we could lay to rest, unlike you Data," she declares with Soong nearly crying over her own nearly tearful words clutching for Data's arm the same, even if he sits right there with them all alive again in contrast.

All understanding her unique words as a human desire in need to hold on to something palpable and true as a body they can mourn indeed, and not just be left with cherished memory as such, Klingons in contrast do not consider the mortal shell as anything that needs to be cherished or even guarded over underground or otherwise put in a grave at all, and leave it discarded a dead corpse behind without any further regard.

With Data however keenly aware of such cultural differences, or the meaning of her much more compassionate words in relation to his very own lost body, they indeed never even could recover let alone mourn over or lay to rest, he nods at her and replies with a very soft voice.

"I do understand, I felt the same when Tasha had died so suddenly when we had her mortal remains to mourn over, and I do appreciate the human need for such rituals and complex feelings to loss be respected. Thank you for your very kind words, Doctor," Data replies with a smile, for Crusher to nod back smiling, and Troi to recommence her own train of more philosophical thoughts at that.

"Had I been able to sense you at that moment Data, at least I could have tried to convey your last personal moments to your devastated friends, which could have helped us all to come to terms with your horrid loss much easier even without your mortal remains, because there never even was a body we could retrieve to mourn over or lay to rest that same way," she explains further to everybody's instant nodding. "But of course, I never could sense you bar once under very negative circumstances, or of course misfortunate Lore, and I never even met poor Bellfort, who then suddenly awakened as B-4 with your memories alive within himself, and all hope rose within us all again in turn just the same," she states with a deep heave at Crusher's very own.

"But I saw it in your, well the old Data's eyes, to have felt the lonely quest to better yourself had reached the end not only over the last months suddenly besides, and you became so, reserved," she lets it be known now to have indeed felt all that. "But there never ever was any need for you to aspire like that, never, and what you achieved for yourself was truly outstanding," comes her renewed admiration and well-deserved praise they can only agree on again.

"When you gave me command to follow the Captain to the _Scimitar,_ I sensed it was your formal goodbye Data, and I feared greatly for you both, and when I saw the ship explode I felt like dying myself," she confesses with a saddened eye. "But now you are here again as our beloved Data and our newly found Lore we may not ignore either, or even good old Bellfort without whom you'd not even be here with us again now. But, this is where you belong Data, just like you once said to me after Tin Man had returned you to us, this is where we **all** belong," she says softly not to drift into a renewed fit of tears again, in tapping her finger on the table to denote the place aboard to be where they all belong.

Pausing there for a moment for all to recap her so kind and ever passionate words for themselves, she tries her best not to cry herself, while Data looks at her most gratefully touched for sure and the others' silent nodding. With a misty-eyed Soong looking at Data's not at all untouched eyes locking hers again, Picard can remember Soong having said the same to him before, and that Data has stated exactly that to Troi years ago, once 'Tin Man' had returned him to where he belonged indeed.

"So please Data, you saved us all a hundred times plus, and the least we can do now is grant you this little kind gesture of all our deepest respect, we are a family," she stresses again. "Geordi and Worf with Wesley had called you Data and you called them by their first names all along, never seeing the difference we seem to have built around us. But we **all** are family, and the Captain seems to have offered you this first name scenario already finally so we cannot ever lag behind now. We all have to stick together in this and forget about ranks and distinction like that, and **be** a family who call each other by their first name the least," Troi declares 'emphatically' they all can only support.

"So if you call me Counsellor ever again I'm gonna smack you Data, and I will gladly take my old place with nothing more no further fancy name higher rank or special entitlements, as long as we all can be nice to the other like before, off duty at least, and 'be together', right here were we al belong," are her last words of most fervent wishes.

All just staring at her now even more amazed, for all her so ardent response, and to be all the more in utter support as to her every so poignant words, the mood is turning fairly sombre there again. Worf sighing with an agreeing nod, Bashir and La Forge smile at her so kind offer, as the latter does not even need to tender his first name or friendship, having been his best friends from the very start never seeing the difference for Data to have been made of cybernetics.

Crusher now all the more pleased about the entire idea, at Wesley's never having been less than a good friend to him besides, looking as ever as ecstatic as can be, or for Data always to have been his devoted friend just the same, Picard sighs deeply in nodding all the more in agreement. While Soong is all but near tears again, trying hard to keep them at bay ever so overjoyed about Troi's so perceptive, indeed kindred spirit, and even brushes tenderly over Data's cheek in greatest joy for him, with all witnessing their deepest affections for the other the first time.

At Data's finally just as pleased smile back at her kind gaze, touching for her hand to take it into his, and feels fairly taken now either way, and with all witnessing her so obvious love for him, at his grateful glance and keeping hold of her hand, he then smiles at Troi with a very pleased nod. Nearly wanting to say Counsellor again, he then empresses his grateful thanks and for all her kind words by calling her by her first name, where no other words need be spoken between them, and Picard then says at a resounding, hear hear, from all of them, even Worf.

"You said it Deanna," the Captain fully agrees in nodding to himself. "You said it indeed, it's the least we can show each other after all these very excellent years, and most of all to you Data or Lore or even Bellfort that's perfectly true, and I wholeheartedly support, off duty for sure, on duty then we simply keep to our ranks not to confuse the crew," Picard says before he turns to Crusher directly and her pleased eyes. "Beverly, Wesley, you both are just as welcome and I'm sure you and Dr Bashir can come to some agreement not to stumble over each other in sickbay, you're outstanding physicians and I need you both," she agrees on instantly more than delighted, along with a very pleased Wesley with Bashir nodding all too happy to have her as a very competent colleague.

"And you will be my 'second' FO then Will," he then addresses his ex 'first' FO now. "I have sworn to the Professor that I shan't demote Data in any form, and I won't over my otherwise dead body trust me, either way," he sniggers near embarrassed with a slant peer at his new SO.

Soong raising her most serious brow at him with a slight smirk, in fact meaning it dead seriously, she yet makes herself appear to represent it as joke on everyone's slight frown, so they would not take his last words too seriously. Except her brothers knowing fair well, she really would carry out her dark threat without a second thought, as Lore would have as 'The One'.

Even if he now might not ever contemplate that again, which indeed stands to reason for her, and with Troi unable to perceive her to begin with, and no negative vibes coming from him, she can not sense her as the merciless crusader of 'Damocles'' justice for all Soongs. One who would go to any length just the same as Picard had gone to get Data back, and which powerful seed has been planted on board the moment the Professor stepped foot on it so to advocate her ever relentless powers, to at least expose their all suffered past wrongs never to be repeated again.

"But as you said Deanna," Picard so notes further with a smile at their amused faces. "Or as the Professor drummed into me all the more brutally if indeed rightfully already, he bloody well deserved it so much earlier, and I will never forgive myself for never having promoted you Data," sounds his genuine remorse in turn looking at him straight.

"The only reason being now, that it would have brought you closer to gaining your own command sooner, and I simply did not want you to leave at all your so utterly invaluable service to this and all other ships, and not to lose your cherished friendship," he finally confesses. "It has to be said again and I declare for my own simply selfish necessity to see you stay my friend and on board with us all, and for your apparent non-existent ambition never wanting to leave for a higher position," he finally lays out plainly at Soong's satisfied nod and the others' equally finally understanding sighs, no matter they technically had gathered that all along.

Peering at him there as if begging for forgiveness already, Data yet but simply waits for him to conclude his own final admission of guilt tour finally directed at him, the actually concerned party. No matter he had heard all this before from her own viewpoint, at but now everyone's ultimate gathering the very truth over the matter.

"But at least should have given you the chance to reject any offer and I apologise for that again Data, but I only hoped for you to stay here with your friends, as you stated even the other day over our little wine chat, and I justified my deliberate withholding of either simply for wanting to keep you for myself and crew. Even though the Professor confessed in your name, that you stayed to do exactly that all along to protect and guide us as it were, we but hardly ever appreciated fully or openly," comes his final admission with the others silently nodding at that.

"And to be equally honest now, I'd be fairly worried to engage in any new mission without your vital skills Data as simple as that, and always was no one ever realized, but also humbly beg your forgiveness now in person and apologise once more, and to your brothers for ever having done any of this to either of you," he begs him now in turn directly. "And you have no idea what it had meant to all of us you never left, even though it inevitably led directly to your horrible death, because of my compelling need to see you stay, and forced you into this ultimate action I never wanted to ever arise, and it literally ripped us apart just the same, Data."

With all reflecting on that so personal if just a controversially double-edged statement, Troi can feel his utter sincerity over it, and Data's or Lore's fairly touched attention, and it needs no empathy to see, that Soong is simply overwhelmed now, at Picard's final and all-round confession to the very man in question himself.

Who yet only nods at his again so pleading eyes, in hope he would forgive him, once more, before Data then replies softly if still fairly short and visibly neutral.

"I understand perfectly Sir, and I am grateful for you telling me this now directly, after my wife's already greatest in-depth analysis into all these matters and my full knowledge of all you both have talked about, as it does explain many an unanswered question for myself finally having arisen over the long years of my service," comes his fairly factual if gracious reply. "Yet I did not want to bring up any of these unresolved issues after our personal, 'clash', in case of renewed rejection, and did withdraw by that into myself to mainly concentrate on my job," he admits in turn what they had suspected all along. "But I greatly appreciate your eventual honesty and great approval of my good services, and will assert myself in these matters from now on at my perfect right to avoid let us say, 'false expectations' on your part, Sir."

At everyone's fair smiles over his utter failure to call him by his first name again, of course assuming to be on duty right now and would need to address him properly. Picard realising not only this, but that Data must have found certain matters out of synch himself, he never had addressed either for their inner peace's sake as she had stated, or fear of renewed emotional rejection at that, he nods at him kindly in smiling at his ever so innocent eyes.

"Very good idea Data, and we hardly ever said it or didn't show it often enough, so I will to say it now in words, but we simply need you Data, as an exceptional officer and most of all our valued friend, that's all I have to say even as your Captain," he finally rounds it up wholeheartedly. "You never were not 'professional' enough not to have been promoted Data, it was my sheer need to keep you, and I'm sorry to have misled you in that respect either way no matter you stayed to see us safe to begin with," Picard concedes more than happy to oblige his selfless past actions finally.

"But we're all very good friends for life and beyond and that's the end of it, and that includes you Julian," he adds with Bashir nodding gratefully, more than pleased to be part of the prestigious _Enterprise_ crew now. "And as the Professor said to me the other day, we now have the best trained best equipped and best befriended and whatnot else best crew in the galaxy," he smiles. "'Your galaxy' Data, and I wanted you to see it again as a whole being, and not end up only as pure 'data', Data…"

Despite his more serious words, the last line sounding fairly funny suddenly with everyone smiling at his not at all serious face besides, Picard so concludes his most personal words, they all just have to agree on in complete support besides.

"Unlike Ira Graves we took as a genius he no doubt was until he violated you Data, who had no morals to match and caused you all so much pain, and is in fact still inside our computer banks where he belongs by the way," he emphasises, with all nodding in unison definitely believing the possessive scientist to be best kept there as dead 'data'. "But I wanted you to see this galaxy as a true man again my friend at all costs Data, and now we even have Lore back to his right senses as well, and I apologise once more for not believing in him before, and that I have failed you both on several vital occasions, especially ever since you're emotionally capable my friend."

"I know I simply stifled you sometimes at my own shortcomings in that field, you no less taught me to get to grips with in turn Data in an equally brutal manner I had dealt you, and I'm greatly grateful you did, even though much later only I admit that, and the Professor here literally had to shout down my obstinate throat to finally concede to it," comes his thankful praise and humorous undertone they all can appreciate. "But now we're all back together again as it should be, safe and sound, and nothing can go wrong anymore I'm sure."

Everyone nodding at his final sentiment again with a fair smile, as hope springs eternal indeed, even Data so nods with a near embarrassed pouting at their finally exclaimed honouring him, merely seconding that end e-motion, and all appears a most perfect a joyous moment.

Except to Bashir, who there even raises his hand to be heard, and on Picard's frown and, "Yes?" he then announces most unexpectedly the following.

"Um not quite Captain – I'm afraid I can't accompany you through the wormhole, and must ask you to either drop me off at DS9 or to better still let me beam over to the _Sutherland_, to hitch a ride there before she will depart in half an hour, and I have to ask you for permission for temporary leave of absence, Sir."

Picard going, "Oh?' everyone is slightly puzzled now, until Bashir explains.

"Well I'm afraid I need to attend my-um, mother's funeral, Sir…"

With all exhaling most surprised on top, Picard says before anyone else can give their verbal condolences.

"Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Doctor, when did you find out about this sad occasion?"

Bashir sighing deeply, he seems not too taken if still saddened as such, and replies fairly neutral.

"Only this morning, my father had contacted me and told me that my mother had died in her sleep last night, of natural causes… if I may ask you, Sir?"

"Of course of course Doctor," Picard grants him gladly in nodding sharply as he leans forward with a gentle smile. "Worf will you help your friend to ship over to the _Sutherland _please, we're very sorry about this Julian, but hopefully you will rejoin us soon, yes?"

Picard nodding at his sincere smile, Bashir then nods back with a thankful expression getting up, and replies as Worf follows suit to accompany his friend.

"I will Captain I will," he assures him. "Thank you very much, if you all will excuse me, till soon I hope, and take care out there, bye for now…"

Everybody nodding at him and giving their little smiles and well-meant condolences, he so passes Soong with a special smile and touch to her shoulder to give his more personal farewell. But there she gets up to even embrace him to express her own particular style of close warmth and ever so tender heart, even stroking his face in great affection, which he dares return by beaming his ever so devoted smile at her kind eyes. And then even feels for her chin, both knowing that he loves her beyond what she can give him, yet either to be glad for what they share with their own very fine friendship.

Both just sighing up not only for their so close friendship, with nothing much more to say for the moment as she sits down again smiling at Data, he there finally seems to have cranked up his own emotions to a more mid-level, as he is most apparently just as much in love with her. But obviously being the luckier one to receive all he desires and needs from her and can return her in turn, Picard can only sigh at them both knowing far too well, to be in exactly the same position as poor Bashir even knowing her ever so much longer, at Bashir's however apparently better handling his intimate feelings for her, or any in general.

Picard giving it another sigh resigning himself to a future with Soong as his mere SO, he then has to address another rather contentious matter, which but needs resolving besides. As they so wait for him to declare the conference done or indeed not, he nods to himself and recommences at their lingering attention in raising his hand at Worf, to address him with one last most controversial matter concerning him personally before he leaves.

"Um Mr Worf, one last thing we have to discuss before you leave," he says rather officially intoned with Worf nodding at him and a, "Yes Sir?" for Picard so taking a heave and just has to get it over with.

"According to the new uniform regulations, I'm afraid you cannot be allowed to wear that baldrick of yours anymore on duty, and from now on have to dress operations gold not command red."

Everyone now a bit surprised looking at a stoic Captain, Worf fingering for his sash there he merely grumbles up some rather displeased, "May I ask why, Sir? It is the symbol of my proud Klingon culture as a warrior, and I have word red now since I resided at DS9," and Picard taking another heave so explains it to them all.

"I know Worf, and the sash was fine on the old uniforms to be just that we all respect, but I doubt you need to declare your obviously being of the Klingon culture and a warrior to their own. Which you had been allowed to indulge in beyond grace sometimes at my own faults to let you, especially for not even having been aboard all the time since many years now. We have seen on occasions it had directly interfered with your duties not only on board before directly, when others weren't allowed to keep to their cultural differences," comes his official rebuke now.

"Like the few Bajoran officers for instance we have, who couldn't even wear their ear decorations which is their own cultural reference, and wouldn't even interfere with anything rank or uniform related in contrast," he adds as perfectly logical reply with all just keeping stumm at the moment to hear more.

"Besides, on board the _Enterprise _you're operations not command, and as you can see, your wide baldrick now covers up your officer rank and name insignia and the vital PUCS to directly accesses it. And with all the medals and metal of the sash, they can even interfere with the uniform's new cloaking properties, remember? So I'm afraid when you come back, I don't want to see it on you anymore," he directly orders him now. "Indulge in your culture off duty as much as you need to, be my guest. But as long as you're on duty, you have to adhere to the same rules as everyone else from now on."

The entire crew now rather split-minded as to his perfectly reasonable explanations so far, they can see Worf has difficulties accepting them, even though he can undoubtedly gather the more unfavourable implications arising would he insist on keeping it. Struggling to reply anything not too hot-blooded for a change, Picard adds something to make it easier for him to decide on the right move.

"You're a Starfleet officer Worf and not Klingon warrior on this ship, you cannot choose between your culture and duties whenever you see fit, or during another crisis of 'faith' as to what culture you really belong to," he scolds but grants him in turn. "We know you're rather torn in these matters, but your name is officially Lt Cmdr Worf Rozhenko as it says on your new uniform if one could read it, and you can keep to your warrior 'code' with my official blessing. But you cannot 'be' both on duty. It's just a symbolic sash you lose Worf, not your warrior dignity. Take it or leave it. Or this ship, no exceptions, I mean it."

All seeing his perfectly reasonable if rather uncompromising declaration now, they can only hope Worf would the same, who still just stands there with Bashir waiting for him to leave, but before Picard has to order him more directly, Worf there finally gives in with a nod and usual grumble, and then replies fairly casual.

"I understand Sir, it will be gone when I return and I shall wear operations gold again. It is, 'merely a sash', you're right I'm sorry, Sir," he concedes if visibly heavy-heartedly.

Picard very happy about his better decision, they all nod to themselves just as pleased, and on Picard's nodding back at him with a friendly smile and, "Thank you Worf," he so leaves with a mute Bashir by the main doors.

Heaving another big sigh, he then turns to his crew to discuss further related matters, in hope they will meet it with equal understanding, as they can already feel this not to be of the regular mission or crew briefing nature.

"Now since I'm at it, we have to discuss the tricky matter of the very unsatisfactory rank and file business a bit deeper," he finally addresses them to their instant nodding not too sure what it will mean for them now in turn. "After I had very serious discussions of more sobering words with the good Professor here, concerning these truly startling internal and or rank irregularities and unacceptable discriminating, or special treatments officers have encountered over the course of my command, she has submitted an official report to Admiral Janeway not only concerning our ship, but the fleet in general," comes his fairly surprising explanation.

"To shake up the deeply flawed system as it were, which just too many could exploit at excessively intentional mishandlings. And the unfair advancement or presumptuous conduct of individuals come to light by the cosmic string is simply put, criminal, not even I realised was that rampant really, even if thankfully not too much on my ship," he confesses with a most serious tone.

"Which we only know too well, kept one officer back at no real shortcomings, or the other promoted at no valid performance related merit whatsoever," he continues with no one particular in mind at this point. "So Janeway has issued a full review of comprehensive rules to be followed from now on, or face outright court-martial for inappropriate favouritism or prejudiced and discriminating actions. Or indeed unwarranted promotions dished out, and makes complaints in these matters finally easier besides, even over past incidents no one had bothered with or was made impossible to be reviewed," sounds his still rather controversial report of vital changes they however greatly welcome.

"Since I admittedly have been part of that more or less intentionally by withholding Data's promotion for instance," he confesses gladly now. "I just about could get away with it at my expressed wish that I needed, or do need Data as an invaluable officer on my own resignation otherwise, and more so at no complaint filed officially against me by him in our case for having kept him back deliberately on his ever-grace, and I thank you dearly for, Data," he says with a humble bow at Data's ever gracious nod back to let it rest finally, at even Soong's final sighing nod over it as well it seems.

"So from now on, there will be an official annual review conducted by Janeway and her designated staff concerning crew evaluations, so carried out by the captain or FO and the counsellor as before. Which might well be different in final decisions to the ones we have seen so far, where we had last words basically. But now they could potentially pro or demote officers suddenly even after our final assessments, who had felt safe or ignored in their well or not at all deserved position, to see to fairer handling of these matters, and will review many a case come to light either way already," he trickles in as a stark warning they simply have to accept.

"So we'll see what happens on our next evaluation meeting this month, and have already preceded that by my own voluntary rank reshuffle, to show our unconditional support of this needed reform. Every officer will receive a copy of the amended rules and neglected regulations, a list of already changed internal affairs and personnel up or downgrades etc., and a request to submit their current records or complaints to be pre-evaluated for this year, so we can re-evaluate them by the next."

Everyone knowing fair well why Soong had set the giant ranking shake-up spaceball into action, and even could engage prominent Janeway to see to well-needed fresh air breathed into the stuffy old rank and very mouldy file system, some of the present crew might even fear to get demoted very soon. Or another might find a further deserved promotion even sooner.

With their mood being of relative positive air about the fairer process to evaluate crew performances being implemented finally per se, it feels just as subdued for the fair chance that Troi or even Riker will need to see their stripes stripped officially. But before either can speculate on any further double-edged ideas, Picard adds to allay any fears or hopes with a more serious air to make it absolutely clear to them.

"For now, our own present rank system remains pretty much as it was, with Data as my official FO, the Professor my official SO at her own merits and indeed Data's direct input, and with her own full command powers given by Starfleet. You Will as I said, will be my second FO under command of Data's when he's on duty, which will all be explained to the crew," the Captain finally declares officially at otherwise more unforeseeable consequences or confusion.

"Or under mine when he's not, and when you're both on cannot command him as before, only under special rules. Which either needs you both to confer between yourselves first, or another senior officer has to decide if you cannot reach a decision, namely the Professor or myself, or to consent to either's order," he lays down as new official rule already, Riker can accept with a leisurely nod, being not too interested or opposed to this whole ranking business as it stands.

Mainly so for his plenty earlier perfectly undeserved promotion offers for one he does recognise, and for having been 'dished' out purely being a young and reckless 'Human'. While stolid Data had been ignored as a much better candidate purely for his not being a Human, even so without any reprimands or stains on his own officer vest till now, in contrast to everyone else.

"Deanna, you will be the ship's chief counsellor as before, with the title of my second SO now when so present on the bridge to aid with your empathic input, but are prohibited to give orders to any line or command officer, or even medical staff outside your direct authority as the ship's psychologist only. Unless another doctor agrees to it, or is discussed as recommendation with me or the FO, or Professor now," he suddenly declares to her silent shock, but simply has to accept for now.

"Or can have bridge duty in the future as declared medical personnel only, who are restricted by law to actually be able to do that either way. Unless an emergency might arise with no one else left, I admit we never fully put into practice, and was my fault entirely," Picard submits to her added surprise, but near instant acceptance nodding back at him realising the wider scope not only applicable to herself.

"Which means, the commander rank Will gave you for that bridge test has been officially revoked, for the main fact of not being a regular line officer to begin with, and that you never attended Starfleet Academy or even Medical. Which makes you effectively a medical officer within your given profession **only**, and senior staff as before, I'm sorry Deanna," he declares resolutely with the Counsellor accepting her old new position however with a grumbling but sharp nod, over her own previous words just to be glad to be aboard again besides.

"No medical personnel may have executive powers over other line officers per given rules, we simply never implemented at my own lax approach, but that's over with from now on," he declares without any room left for lax future manoeuvring. "They stand solely under the direct command of myself, the FO and the Professor now, or a direct line or bridge officer with a rank of at least Lt Cmdr. Just as it had been before, we also hardly ever took serious enough at my own too lenient 'discretion'."

"Beverly," he addresses her now in turn. "You too cannot command any of the bridge or command crew in the future anymore as head of medic only, merely your own staff within your given function aboard or in the field as per given rules, I had relaxed too much besides," sounds his clear order in addition now. "As I once did, when you were down on Rutia IV and you directly ordered Data and Worf to stay put after that bomb blast, and then disobeyed my own strict order to return, which effectively had you kidnapped and then even myself. Plus, caused us all great danger getting drawn into their internal affairs, which enabled them to nearly blow up the ship, had it not been for a cool-headed Geordi to literally defuse that," he reminds them sharply with all looking at La Forge now for his quick re-action.

"Had Data done that, he'd been taken to the shredder and we know it, so from now on it will result in at least a reprimand or suspension, or even court-martial if I choose so at the unacceptable risks taken, let me warn you all," he does indeed, with all nodding again seeing this is more serious than anticipated. "Plus, you're equally prohibited from having the bridge again on the same grounds as Deanna from now on, for not being a line officer in the first place either, and I let you indulge in on several occasions which proved less than satisfactory besides, sorry," he makes very clear now in addition, she however simply has to accept, or basically resign her commission on board and return to Starfleet Medical.

"Your commander rank, which you obtained by that same bridge test two years before you came aboard the _Enterprise_, will have to be stripped too on the same grounds, no matter you attended Starfleet Medical, I'm sorry but no exceptions," comes his additional bombshell. "Besides, when we lost Data on Barkon IV and Riker most of all neglected his duty to retrieve him, as rather enabled Troi to gain her unrightful rank, he should never have allowed either to happen or let you have the bridge," he throws in with Riker merely pouting at his stern eyes, glad enough not to have been reprimanded after the fact over that faux pas either now.

While Troi is keeping just quite, never realising she was never allowed to take it in the first, since Crusher could gain it that way which had prompted her then.

"Plus, for the fact that when you were in command before, and we all looked for Data on Lore's interference, which in effect enabled you to disobey another of my direct orders to avoid Borg contact, it resulted in the pointless destruction of an enemy ship. Starfleet on more in-depth review now cannot condone such serious strings of avoidable mistakes anymore, Borg or not, and have demoted others already too in case you're all wondering."

"My report over your 'decisive' action then, rather than have you reprimanded for either actions, has been rejected after that fact in addition as unacceptable, but left it at no further actions at my assurance it won't happen again, and I will not contest either way," Picard declares to everyone's and especially Crusher's silent shock after all these years now, but full agreement just to be fair either way concerning the wider implications of course.

"Lt Taitt and Lt Barnaby who had helped you then, no matter how ingenious it was to use that metaphasic shield application, have been reminded not to take orders from medical personnel anymore, unless medically related and backed by a line or command officer, and engage in stunts like that or face instant dismissal," he adds to show his rigorous overhaul not only to apply to his core crew. "Let's face it Beverly, it nearly cost me the ship again and remaining crew had it failed, and had Data done any of that then, they'd taken him apart and we know it. It's simply not acceptable, and I won't have any more arbitrary actions like that, I'm sorry," Picard states resolutely to everyone's silent understanding for sure, with even Crusher having to buckle down only nodding at him again.

"We cannot start or continue applying whichever double standards in these serious affairs any further willy-nilly as it pleases us, people, I'm sure you realise that. I was too lenient in many cases, and failed in others myself directly to be stricter, especially during Data's Borg captivity, which was utterly acceptable. But Starfleet left it at that, at his not wanting to press for more serious actions over that or other cases related to himself," he adds with all looking at Data again, who merely nods at a very grateful Picard. "Too many have committed the most unbelievable acts and rules violations and nothing ever happened – including us, so that's the end of that."

Even if Soong would have preferred to see Data take late actions, she but leaves it at that as well for now, to forget about these shameful acts and utterly wrong decisions, at now better implemented regulations under Janeway's iron ruler.

"Meaning, Starfleet now have reviewed not only our own previous unacceptable actions, but are everyone else's already, and just about left it at that without any more reprimands issued for either of us, when these 'new old' rules come into force now officially," Picard declares strictly voiced. "As long as we keep to them from now on, and mostly for our otherwise better records they do recognise. Which however truth be told, was mainly down to Data's invaluable services to this ship and, we all know it," he declares resolutely with no one in serious opposition to that indisputable fact, the least Soong.

"So we should be proud of and not feel opposed to that unique fact, and that we had such an exceptional officer to see us through, and now even have two," he reminds them more than seriously intoned, to Soong's innermost delight that her sharp words obviously have been heard concerning not only these particular incidents, with ever engaged Janeway's imperative help of course.

Who no less is a personal friend of Soong's and knows fair well, her wide-reaching sociological clout could potentially destroy the entire Starfleet internal affaires process to most unpredictable outcome even further, where she to drive for past injustices done to most of all her own to be exposed and seen rectified officially besides even still now.

"I know you passed that bridge officer test ages ago after Data had Beverly, which but in contrast did not give him the higher rank because of all these bent rules," he explains further not finished for sure. "Just as it ought not be that simply to gain a serious position that way, which should be purely performance related to qualify as a commander, and not gain another pip by a mere test in my eyes. It was available for line officers exclusively to get that rank, but clearly had been exploited and in contrast ignored in his case for his nature, and I simply cannot accept, sorry," he declares to Soong's added secret satisfaction this had been seen too as well.

"It always had been that medic personnel were prohibited from taking any line officer tests per these given rules, but no one ever checked on it, and was abused because of that," he calls to contemplate hardly anyone ever knew. "Now because of that, the commander rank cannot be achieved anymore by a mere bridge officer examination test like that even for line officers either, which must be purely performance related accredited from now on, and any rank achieved by that has been revoked. And for all official medics whose place is in sickbay not on the bridge, not only for you Beverly, I'm sorry," comes his final demoting the Doctor, who takes fairly neutral for now seeing his point, and not to spoil their much more important reunion.

"Plus, in the future any possible declaration of the chief medic to relieve the captain as incompetent, must be endorsed by another medic aboard, which includes you now Deanna, or either FO or the Professor in our case," he stipulates further with all just nodding again. "Plus, any counsellor or chief medic will be re-evaluated every half year by an independent body from now on, for their extra responsibility to decide over other officers' mental and physical capacities of their performance for evaluation. Plus, no line officer below lieutenant commander will be able to take command of the ship again either, unless an emergency situation might arise in either cases, and no other command officer is available," he adds at the balancing procedure to no one's great surprise.

"There will be certain emergency exceptions, but only when officially declared by command personnel beforehand. I'm telling you all this now bluntly, which applies to all ships by the way, in case any of you want to reconsider, or your return to the _Enterprise_. But we have to keep to this officially now, or face instant dismissal on the next review, I want to keep as clean as possible from now on," he warns them again, in optimism not to have scared them off in the course of trying to be over correct now, before anyone can even find anything awry again within his own ranks.

"And don't think that was all down to the Professor's direct input only, no matter she carries immense clout in these matters, and I don't want to see any bruised egos now either," he warns them with a raised finger. "Starfleet were more afraid she would have them all at their throats over Data's past encounters with deliberate discriminations and rights violations only, and in fact have declared a ''Data' Anti Discrimination Act' to be implemented, the 'DADA'," he rather casually informs them suddenly, to their surprise if amused faces looking at Data who only shrugs his shoulders, never having heard of it yet either, to Soong's more than elated and silent satisfaction in contrast.

"Which directly disallows any species in or outside our ranks be discriminated against by any Starfleet officers, or face instant dismissal," comes another bit of well-received Intel they all back wholeheartedly. "So her serious influence gave it the needed last push at too many already lodged complaints about any of these matters, arisen over the last few years alone in fact, for Starfleet to finally seriously overhaul their deeply flawed own procedures now with Janeway at the strict helm."

"There also will be a new medical staff ranking system, to distinguish them from other officers not only by uniform colours as before," he adds at their still lingering attention. "Which will give the chief medic three pips, a doctor two, and a nurse one now – All others like our NCOs, have none or a blank as before. In your case Deanna, that means your two and a half have to come down to two medical pips now for a doctor of psychology, not 'officer' anymore," he declares with Troi merely nodding again, unable to change it at any rate without needing to resign, as it would be applicable everywhere now.

"And the old officer rank titles medics carried before, won't be applicable anymore either – So no more 'lieutenant' Ogawa, but nurse, sorry that's the official rules from now on. But I truly hope this won't change your minds now, as I really need you all as you are," he insists with a sincere smile. "As Deanna said, rank schmank, we're all fine officers under any title and very good friends, who cannot act like this Shelby character we had here once," he recites as best or indeed worst example they all remember too well nodding at that fact.

"And the Professor did it for the good of all, I hope keeps 'ambitionados' like her in check not to take over suddenly, and equally enables other fine officers to be promoted deservedly beyond their origins, trapped in an endless cycle of discrimination," Picard states utterly convinced himself this to be needed and abolished, with all just nodding again giving their general consensus to that particular incident besides. Knowing fair well, he means Data to have been the one to lose out constantly.

"Besides, too many other high flyers could abuse the very faulty and highly biased system beyond grace, and even myself admittedly, with some getting captaincy offers way too young and inexperienced. Or ended up as admirals they should never even have been considered for even when older. While others never saw their deserved rank jump, even without my direct interference as in Data's case," comes his fair assessment and further confession, with all looking at Data again as the best or undeniably worst example to have suffered under this most unfair system, even without Picard's direct withholding his promotion to become his own captain.

"So that's my last word in this as your Captain, I hope will be accepted, or you just can simply resign, as I doubt you will find any other ship to reinstate you at these general rules applicable everywhere now," he declares resolutely in hope it would not come to that. "A full report is available in the amended ship's rules, revised officer manual and new regulations logs we received this morning. If you want to raise any objections to any of it, that can be forwarded to Janeway directly from now on. But as a friend I dearly hope this will not influence our much more important friendships, and longstanding history, and you still may call me Jean-Luc in the future, off duty of course," comes his smiling attempt to bring back their own smiles, rather than desire to feel they need to resign now in turn.

All doing exactly that, they smile back at him in ever-united support and better minds not to see their reunion tainted by self-important ego trips, nothing could change at any rate anymore now anyway, and the conference seems done and over finally. Everyone so looking at the other pondering away their individual thoughts, all lays fairly quiet between them and their changed if still the same positions. Even their shiny-new ship.

30


	4. Chapter 28 Hollow Pursuits

R E S U R R E C T I O N

Hollow Pursuits--

With Crusher busy in her new old sickbay, nurse Ogawa with her one nurse pip now, is there with only two older male patients so far, both apparently being asleep in some side cubicle in an area of a dozen beds sectioned off like in a hospital, rather than former open-space paramedic setting, under the care of Ogawa and some other male assistant. Soong so entering from the main entry and seeing Crusher sit by her new super hightech desk studying records of her new old patients on her fancy new computer screen, she so looks up at her slightly surprised really, and ask as Soong comes to her side in smiling at her.

"Well Professor, what can I do for 'you' then have a seat?" she says in politely pointing her to the chair next to her.

Soong sitting down, she only sniggers at her obvious surprise and replies with a sigh.

"Two things Doctor," she commences. "No three really, or even four perhaps, first call me Arika please, Professor sounds so formal," Soong offers her in turn. "Second, I'd need some artificial teardrops, I ran out and didn't just want to utilise your sickbay for my own purposes without asking first."

Crusher all the happier to oblige nodding at her first request, she makes herself more comfortable in her chair by her usual pulling up one knee, and smiles at her perfectly relaxed now. No less for looking up to her as it were, not only for her older age, but Soong's so much greater expertise in many more fields besides, and her all the lesser imposing it on others, she greatly respects either way.

No matter she effectively has managed to restrict her official operating field outside her given profession now, she however always knew was down to her special relationship with Picard, who had enabled her to do so in the first place, when it never was allowed per given rules. Or stripped her of her higher rank, she however should never have been allowed to gain in the first place the way she had, and now would be of no consequence anymore anyway at the officially altered regulations not only for medics, and would not diminish her position as chief medic.

"With pleasure Pro-I mean Arika sure, call me Beverly too and please be my guest you're our SO after all, but thanks for your consideration I appreciate it," comes her honest response. "So-um, what strength Hypromellose, yes?" she asks with Soong nodding back with a, "Yes – the usual zero point three percent will do," to which Crusher continues, "Hm, what do you need them for?"

Soong leaning back now just as relaxed, she replies with a pouting sigh.

"I've got ocular Sjögren's, with a touch of the old rheumatism in my left knee and hip, which flares up on the Moon's full cycle, so I keep avoiding the fullmoon as much as I love looking at it really," she explains with a smirk. "That's why we stayed on Terlina III rather, it's got no moon at all, but I need them or I go bananas with my eyes feeling like full of sand oh hey, one minutest grain would kill me already, and makes them even more photosensitive," sounds her fairly plagued rendition.

Crusher sniggering at her nonchalant response, she so gets up and says in going to one of her locked wall medic cabinets.

"I see, must be horrible, did you have this all your life?"

Soong getting up to join her, she replies with a deep breather while Crusher has code-accessed the right cabinet, and then rummages for some eye drop bottle from her massive supply.

"Yes more or less," comes her reply. "It's keeping it steady, but it's worse at night, I wake up nearly dying with pain they're so terribly dry and nothing can be done about it, well except with the drops. After all these centuries, and we still haven't managed to get that one cured, not even my father… well he never attempted to, always too busy with other more important stuff, or even good Bellfort," Soong small-talks while Crusher smiles at her pondering for a moment in checking for the right bottle, and Soong so continues while looking around.

"But he found a cure for Sharat's," the Professor adds with a proud pout. "As Arik that is, even though no one granted him the patent for it after basically stealing it from his papers Starfleet just kept confiscating at the beginning, and then left him the lot without ever telling him they had stolen his cure, 'obviously'," she drops again casually against Starfleet. "When they finally released him, after a much too long sentence made an ugly example of, and only recently pardoned him, 'posthumously' evidently, without any compensation over either great injustice. Although father, he couldn't care less either way these days, it's been two-hundred and sixteen years now since he was released," she adds with another laid-back pout.

Crusher nodding at her, she there finds the right bottle and replies in giving it to her, suddenly remembering that as well.

"Oh yes that's right yes, god how amazing and even more horrible yes! It was your father wasn't it?" it so finally dawns on her. "Arik Soong was no, Noonien Soong was Arik first, and then Bellfort what was the other name he had?"

Soong taking the small white bottle, she says in unsealing it right there.

"Thanks – um-Novalis… back on Earth, before he came to Omicron Theta," she replies in administering the drops right on the spot. "Oh yes that's better, god I'd be lost without them… thanks…"

Having applied one drop each into her dry eyes without a mirror obviously doing this since many years now, she puts the bottle into her uniform pocket, and Crusher says in heading back to the desk for Soong to follow her.

"No problem," Crusher replies glad she never had any aches or pains like that. "Yes, 'Novalis' right, what a most romantic name I like it, is that after the-um, German novelist Freiherr von Hardenberg of Goethe's time, or that radio surgery system of more recent century?"

Soong nodding at her obvious knowledge beyond the medical field, she smiles as they sit down again.

"Well both really," comes her frank reply. "My father thought it sounded very romantic indeed as to the writer's work really, and that it was equally annotated a medical connection to that early year 2000 surgery system yes, so he took that name for a while as his penultimate pseudonym, and even read the books of the-um 1700s master of the quill. He loves a good old book too, he's got tons in his lab," the Professor jokes leisurely with Crusher smirking back. "So-um, you were the one who taught our good Data how to dance then?" she suddenly changes the subject.

Crusher smiling at her obvious own knowledge, just about gathering that she evidently has all of Data's memories too now, she nods in pulling up her knee again, and replies most delighted.

"Yes!" the Doctor exclaims. "And ever so fast he learnt it, was quite stunning I tell you! Unbelievable how he simply copied me by watching my steps and voila, suddenly could dance and even better tap-dance than me and I'm a master in my field, it was utterly fascinating to watch him, sweet Data," Crusher marvels in thinking back now. "So-um tell me please, you're the only one without any medical records to date, even Data has one believe it or not, any chance you can submit me some notes or, if you have any, just to complete my files of the crew, hm?"

Soong pouting at her there thinking about it closer, she then replies in shaking her head.

"Hm, I haven't got any as such no, since I never joined Starfleet the usual way, and they would ask any doctors beforehand, but I will gather some general info about my plenty records believe me," she smirks with a shudder thinking back to all these close calls in addition. "Besides, you can always ask Julian, he knows all my aches and pains so to speak, or Data… I'm sure he'll list them down for you in nil time," she adds with another amused smile.

Crusher nodding with an approving sigh, she then says in logging on to her patient's entry page, to open a new file for Soong right on the spot.

"Oh yes of course, yeah that'll be just fine yes I'll ask him," she agrees with a smile. "But if I may say so now Arika, I just can't believe you sitting here pardon me for saying this, but I admired your stunning work since many years now, and never ever realised who you really were. Well no one did, what a shame you had to stay, well incognito I suppose, just like your genius father really later, or late husband," come her praises. "What a waste of amazing further knowledge you three could have contributed beyond what you already have," she compliments her now in turn Soong accepts nonchalantly.

"And I remember this Sharat's syndrome cure was suddenly available on the market yeah, and no one ever gathered it was developed by your own father, well or at least Arik Soong, the-um, 'genetics engineering monster'," Crusher recalls clearly. "God what a tragedy for the poor children of his to have developed into these tragic killers really, but surely only at the lack of his good guidance, locking him up… what great injustice that was," she states no lesser sympathetically voiced or convinced about that. "So-um, what were the other two things you had in mind telling me about hm?" she herself now changes the subject.

Sighing deeply to gather herself, Soong so replies more hesitantly now.

"Well, it's more of a private nature, not for me, but you actually…"

Crusher going, "Oh?" Soong so nods with another sigh and enlightens her promptly.

"Yes, it concerns our Captain, or your very personal friend Beverly, well let me put it this way, two things really, first of all let me guarantee you I have no designs on him in any form," she assures her with upheld hands. "Because he has ever since we met, but as I said and I made it absolutely clear to him, in many words, that I am the wife of well, Lore really Bellfort Data whoever, but I can feel his intense desire very much as Troi can sense others," Soong explains to Crusher's mild frown looking quite surprised about either really.

"With this my interface I can feel people's direct vibes via the chip in my brain, and for my general strong disposition to perceive near literal thought from anyone, ESP on the highest level, and virtual images from Lore again as well as he said, I had adapted to master over the years," flow her explanations Crusher finds more than fascinating. "It's very much like Troi can feel it but more well, from within your mind rather than my own into yours, retaining all the essence besides, as if I had experienced whichever I focus on myself, in reverse mnemotechnics so to speak. Or perhaps might be akin to a mind meld if you will without the actual touch, and must be from my quarter Vulcan blood I guess," Soong delivers with a casual shoulder shrug.

Utterly ensnared now, Crusher there cuts into her short pause, and smiles more than engaged.

"Wow, that sounds like reading minds or something?"

Smiling at her big eyes with an amused grumble, Soong nods back to detail the facts.

"Well not literally no that would be more than 'helpful' no," she jests wishing it were however. "All I need is to concentrate on their minds or even bodies and feel what they do, but it doesn't swamp my own thoughts and can cancel them out, unlike Troi, and simply file them away for later recall, just like with all of my brothers' memories. I can feel your surprise just as well right now, but I can't influence others' thoughts either. Only certain tech via my interface by pure thought as it were, similar to what the Borg Queen could do, or can tap into Lore's system as you saw on the bridge," sound her truly amazing revelations now in turn.

"But as I said, Picard knows that I don't feel attracted to him, that's why I asked you to come back, to keep an eye on him or rather see his roving back to you Beverly. I will not have this become an issue for any of us, although it technically has already, I'm sorry, but I'd rather leave trust me," she adds adamantly amending her words.

Crusher not at all unimpressed about her truly startling abilities, besides to be yet all the more displeased over her personal revelation about their troubled Captain, and more so for the fact that Picard obviously feels attracted to her, as he had or hopefully still does feel the same for herself, Crusher so shakes her head with a sincere smile in leaning forward to touch for her once with a friendly pat close enough.

"No need not to worry Arika," comes her genuine response. "Jean-Luc had his one or two eyes roving over the years just as I had, very much as it happened with Will and Deanna, and instead of being together they just made it only more painful for themselves until they finally got married. I will not even discuss the issue for you to feel sorry over it Arika, it's certainly not your fault," she assures her with a smile.

"I'm very grateful you told me, no problem Arika," she adds with a pondering sigh. "I know we should have been together from the start but well you know, he never said a word way too shy and so I married his best friend instead, but since my husband died, I loved him just the same and he loves me we both know that. But marriage seems never to have come to any more serious discussion… even though I would have said yes on the spot, and still do," she confesses in no lesser hope it still might be for them as well happening, before they are too old and grey to crawl before any altar.

Both reflecting on that nice prospect for the moment to Soong's greater pleasure, Crusher so veers into an altogether different direction of talk by that Soong is not expecting, if welcoming all the more, having thought often enough as to how others have dealt with specific issues concerning Data, from their own point of view, he never knew about in turn.

"Jean-Luc was never good at expressing emotions, until Data simply forced him to face not only his but his own issues with them," she admits to no one's surprise. "I'm a aware of their very revealing 'clash' after the grim Borg incident Arika, he told me in shame, well you obviously know about it first hand so to speak. And I must apologise myself over how we dealt with Data's emotional issues in general sometimes, and most of all during his horrid captivity where we failed him that day most terribly, and we all had to be taught a little right then by Data himself of course…"

"He told everyone of us what he really thought of our directly involved negligent conduct for once, never even thinking of him in their hands calling for autodestruct, knowing he's still on board and all," the Doctors declares freely with the now no lesser depressing memories coming back clearly.

Soong listening passively very grateful to hear this, Crusher so continues on her acknowledging nod to express her inner thoughts of then, which are even rather close as to those of Picard's.

"I must confess, I myself had hoped, they simply had killed him mercifully once noticed him not to be of organic nature to assimilate him, after Jean-Luc told me only much later and we indeed had no clue 'she' had returned, and luckily so for Data really," she continues with a shuddering sigh never even having seen or known 'her'.

"I was so shocked you cannot image Arika, but by then everything just went wrong even more so and he simply abandoned him along with the ship, never even knowing what happened to him, until we saw him return suddenly. Looking so horridly stripped and all, we had to patch him up with replicated bioplast skin," Crusher recalls to her still silent dread despite being a physician, and having seen Data 'damaged' on several occasions before like that.

"We never half comprehended what it had meant to him either way, until he explained it more or less drastically after we had returned to our time then, and boy did he to all our shame and utter horror," comes her recollection of guilty feelings. "I was so appalled he even had to console me and Troi over it all, and I believe, that horrid day he suddenly became champion of his own emotions by that and matured no doubt very painfully very fast. But must have lost his 'faith' in Humanity somehow that grim day, as he tended to withdraw into himself ever more, and distanced himself from any much emotions, just as he said," she states as an acutely observant mind.

Slowly nodding at her again with a deep sigh, at her very astute observations and perfectly correct assumption, Soong lets her finish her no less own confessional statement gladly, never having known her side indeed before either.

"Geordi with Will and Troi who were down the planet and utterly unaware of the entire drama, became very concerned over Jean-Luc's 'mis-handling' of this whole Borg disaster, once they realised what had occurred, only after seeing Data all that 'altered', and if Jean-Luc might not yet have been ready to deal with it the right way, and by that failed to see to Data's status as officer the least," she elaborates with a nodding sigh to herself.

"If I had been aware of his capture, I would have reminded Jean-Luc every second to retrieve him trust me Arika, no matter in what shape, and never allowed him to call for autodestruct never," comes her most adamant admission Soong gladly accepts as face value. "But I had no idea about any of his trauma, and then merely wished he was, dead… after all he had done for us already, and then even saved Earth again, I'm so sorry, Arika…"

Nodding at her so frank and very sympathetic reply, Soong inhales again deeply as Crusher leans back again anxious to hear her at last acknowledge her own, if late explanation or even apology. Seemingly hesitant as to what to say now not wanting to go into even more of these to her still so painful issues at her own extreme views of it all, no less identical as to Data's, or all the more Lore's, she then replies more neutrally voiced.

"Yes I know Data did indeed tell you all, and I believe you would have reminded Picard," she grants her. "But he literally forgot him, and Data rightly for once spoke his utterly overpowered mind after all that no less avoidable madness, and I obviously know what he told whom and how. I'm fairly certain Picard wasn't ready by a galactic mile, and still too obsessed with his own ordeal and by that utterly forgot about what could befall Data, and needed to be told. Especially since he could have made it easier on both of them, had he dealt with his own nightmare when it had occurred and not only after Data's," she recriminates him in turn.

"But instead he choose to bury it all and forced him to do the same, before he even left him to the Borg and neglected all duty calls and procedures. It's bad enough he never even was reprimanded over any of it, let alone relieved from his post, as it should have been before so he could recover his wits before 'she' ever returned..."

Both nodding at the other in silent and total agreement for sure, knowing all too well he once more could escape more serious investigations and deserved repercussions, Soong so adds on a but higher note, by then being fairly weary to go over the same issues repeatedly, which can never be altered at any rate anymore.

"But let's just say, rather late than never to say or do anything, by either side, or at least learn from it. Which seems to have been the case, at his ever endeavour to secure him safely during this renewed renegade Ba'ku 'mission', which nearly got him shredded by this Dougherty," Soong allows in turn to seal down the unchangeable past finally. "And then came his extreme obsession to get him back after the Shinzon horror, it's not only his genuine desire to see him back, but his way to say how sorry he is over any of it," comes her keen analysis of Picard's innermost motives.

"So-um let's leave it at that Beverly, it's between them, and I've made my own side clear to him more than once or as strongly even with Data's own input, and what's done is done and only the future can be influenced," she declares at Crusher's instant nodding glad to look ahead rather than dwell in the painful past.

"I'm grateful to hear your side of it now, and that you obviously have very good insight into either their complex psyche, so why don't we work on that further, and you can start by just asking Picardif he's still interested in you, hm?" she teases her in turn to end the emotional stalemate of either past pains. "I'm sure he would say yes just as fast trust me, let me give him a really nasty rebuke and he'll come crawling back to you at once," she jokes again meaning it most seriously at that for sure.

Crusher nodding at her witty remark, she laughs up loud and sniggers back more so in hysteric relief for Soong's earnest try to keep the peace, for everyone's future sake and her kind acknowledgement indeed.

"Yeah you do that please yes!" she trills up all delighted just thinking of it. "And I might even ask him if he still wants me, yes. But tell me, what was the fourth or second thing concerning Jean-Luc?"

Soong sighing deeply as Crusher there turns more serious again, she then replies with a pondering grumble.

"Hm well yes, it concerns his-um, well, he seems to forget very important things since some time now, well ever since I came aboard and was fairly aggressive to Lore, when there have been no other notable prior incidents," comes the Professor's surprise reply.

Crusher now paying very much more attention suddenly, she leans forwards again and asks her straight.

"Oh? On what occasions then?"

Soong sighing again trying her best not to concern her beyond obvious interest, she so adds in gazing at Cruiser's big and very interested eyes.

"Well-um, three really, the first was, when he apparently had forgotten about some command function order he himself had even tasked the ship's well the _E_'s computer with, to cancel all comm links while we held our little Christmas-New Year's do at Obs lounge, not to get disturbed by Starfleet business," Soong explains flat out. "Then he asked Data if he could find out who what why or when, which he did right then in his Ready Room after they had talked to Janeway about this bizarre new 'mission'."

"After that he queried him why he had taken her not even secured call, and Data replied only by chance at the redirected transmission set to auto combadge detection, to be relayed to the next senior officer coming along, which was him, and then added he even had asked the computer why it was redirected, and it clarified the Captain had done so."

Pausing there for a moment with Crusher shaking her head in sheer disbelief, Soong so takes another breath and continues no lesser puzzled.

"But of course, Picard simply didn't believe him not to have changed the functions himself, even though the computer proved it to him, but then he even accused Data to have messed with that for the transmission to end up with him etc. bla bla bla," the Professor iterates in mildly gesticulating along her rapid words.

"And then at Data's final protestations, he even told him to leave under threat of relieving him of duty, very much enraged shouting at him suddenly even showing him the door, and as Data there indeed wanted to leave, he near instantly begged his forgiveness remembered that he actually had done it himself after all right then, and said how sorry he was and nearly cried even."

Crusher very much perturbed herself now, she keeps mute for the moment, eager to hear more in frowning at her sincere concern either way, shaking her head along her words in quiet incredulity.

"The second time was the day Data had reconfigured half the blooming ship, as he is bored to tears besides if not getting occupied or Lore rather but that's my problem, and he blustered at him again why he hadn't seen to the new sensor array, on Geordi's insistence he wanted him to help him with it," she continues at Crusher equally unbroken disbelief. "When La Forge in fact actually had never said that, and then Data was summoned into his Ready Room, asked him most irritated why he hadn't attended to it, and Data of course protesting that he had done it already, until they tested it later then, he was still not believing him."

Pausing there for another short look into her inner void again, she indeed has not lost her own rational mental thread at all, as only wait for Crusher to nod at her, to demonstrate her understanding of her so far most unexpected statement for sure.

"He even had to ask La Forge to tell him that he had finished it hours ago, and then they only could convince him after showing him the diagnostics logs, and there suddenly just as fast again, asked his forgiveness to have forgotten about it and never wanted to accuse him. But Data was very unsettled by that and if he hadn't had his emotions down to an absolute minimum then as well, he would have just left himself, as Lore always had when things were to get out of sane hands. Data felt there was something very wrong with him, now the second time behaving the same aggressive, illogical and accusing way, and merely endured his verbal attacks to find out why."

Shaking her head again, Crusher is not at all happy to hear her most disturbing account, and so waits for her to come to the final incident, still hardly able to believe his so irrationally negative way of behaviour suddenly.

"The last time was right this morning, after we all had left Obs lounge following the briefing, and he seriously asked him to stay behind, and then accused him of having taken his own two books from his Ready Room without asking, Picard had salvage from his quarters after the crash and he kept there," Soong explains further with Crusher still hardly believing her ears. "And then on Data's most perturbed telling him utterly stunned that he had never touched them, and no less were his own really, but is welcome to them, they even went there to find and show them to him still there on his desk, he could recall having seen as 'B-4' there."

"But Picard again suddenly then 'remembered' that Worf had brought them to him, on Geordi's refusal to enter Data's place way too saddened over his sudden death, and again he asked for his forgiveness recriminating himself like hell, telling him that he never wanted to accuse him. But by then greatly concerned Data, felt he had done all this purposely forcing the arguments as it were, rather than really to have trouble remembering, attacked him as the one 'without the emotions' able to cope with it. Well he is and he's not, and told me about the incidents, I warned him not to hurt him again and is simply not acceptable after all this horror."

Crusher only shaking her head again in even greater scepticism now, Soong shrugs her shoulders, and finishes her tour de force of most unpleasant revelations.

"I feel it's got to do with me rather than him, or any real memory loss, I tried to keep his personal interest in me to myself, and now he uses Data or Lore as a verbal punching bag, no less to express his emotions which is fine, but in a bizarrely disproportionate form," she analyses for herself now. "Data seems to get the idea, and I suspect that Lore actually gathers why he attacks 'Data', or Lore, and of course Bellfort as my actual 'husband'."

"Keep in mind Beverly, these are still three different characters," she elucidates further. "Even if he's mainly the new Lore or old new Data if you will, you have to think dually here, or even in three dimensional terms if you include Bellfort, who is the least dominant no matter we lived together for many years, but he's of no officer calibre and keeps back so to speak unless needed, very much as Data had relented earlier on."

Crusher nodding again at her so far most intriguing narration of the no less complex mind of their new old FO as it were, Soong so explains it even further at her undivided attention.

"So 'he' literally can be like the three men they were before, switching like in multiple personalities, but instantaneously on a conscious level or could overlap, can be suppressed, even one dominating the other," the Professor tells her further with Crusher indeed getting the wondrously complex idea. "But not in the 'Graves' terms, or as it happened to Data under the D'Arsay array entities' influences, and only if emotionally over-stressed. It's more like you lead three lives you can turn and off, or I even four with my own for that matter, you'll get the hang of it," she smiles at her in turn with the Doctor smiling back feeling herself perfectly able to handle a 'multiple' Data.

"But, I'm afraid, if Picard isn't compos mentis either way faking it or not, for whatever reason, he's obviously incapable to lead this ship or this new 'mission', maybe even ending in a way as to the disastrous Borg incident, because he's now obsessed with me rather than them," the Professor rationalises. "So Data would need to have to take charge of both, and Will would need to stay on the bridge in his place, until you can find out what the hell is wrong with him Beverly, he's talking to Will and Deanna about this right now," sounds her resolute conclusion.

Most agitated now, Crusher getting more and more concerned with each of her serious words no less believing them face value, or the amazing fact that 'he' can do all that besides, or Soong at that, she does not know what to say right now, until she finally gathers herself and replies in leaning back not content at all.

"Well that doesn't sound too encouraging I must admit, you're right," she returns in nodding accord. "He seems to project all his anger towards Data, or Lore as it were suddenly, your 'husband' as such I get the idea, or even Bellfort as the original man now all suddenly his very challenger in the field of his strong attraction so to speak," she recaps assessing the bizarre situation most accurately so far.

"I neither think he really did forget any of it, sounds more like he's trying to make himself hate Lore let's say, because he cannot get you, and then simply finds the situations to his needs to basically drive a wedge between you all, so he would not feel the way he does about you since you would resent him for it in return. Hm, not very pleasing that, it's very un-Jean-Luc like believe me, he's very rational and controlled, but he seems to have a special bond with you, he simply cannot extend to what he would like to see it – hm…"

Both gazing at the other there for a moment, Soong nods at her keen perception with a shrug to her shoulders and depressed pout, to make her believe she really has no interest in him, which indeed is absolute fact.

"Severe displacement anger that," Crusher comes up as diagnosis now. "Deliberate attempts to destroy your friendships to the extend for you as I take to simply leave, even without Data, to remove you from his field of personal wishes, literally so. I'm sure he knows exactly what he's doing, as he probably would need Data to stay after all he so passionately endeavoured to get him back, not ever anticipating him suddenly to become his 'love rival' in the shape of Lore of all 'things'."

"Hm, very tricky that, he seems very troubled with several issues here really, first this terrible loss over poor Data, and then falling for you who could bring him back but cannot have both so to speak," Crusher recaps seeing Soong in full concurrence. "The severe turmoil over it all and that Data is yours really who could take him away again at once, must have compounded it all into this irrational behaviour, this negative obsession. It's his freed emotions gone haywire now in contrast to earlier years only suppressing them. But he still can't cope or express what he really thinks or feels, and now he's trying to distance himself in this very detrimental way, hm…"

Both nodding at each other, and Soong merely sighs her, "Quite right I believe that too," Crusher so continues with a not so favourable supposition.

"He might even drive him so hard, that Lore would leave at some point finding it impossible to work in this oppressive climate, especially having to be Data and all," the Doctor agrees. "I can see the very stressful and utterly schizophrenic implications for either of them, or yourself, but then I'm sure you would leave no doubt too, so he's in a really great mess at the moment emotion-wise. You're right, this sounds very dire, hm…"

Soong nodding and then frowning at her there, not really believing Picard would go to such lengths, both yet cannot dismiss the very undesirable chance that he deliberately drives him away, while Crusher so finalises her 'diagnosis'.

"I need to talk to him about that, it could jeopardize this whole volatile mission this new ship, six-hundred plus crew and most of all good Data's own safety Lore's whose so ever again. It's a very double or even treble-edged sword indeed hm, that's bad very bad, and I'm sure he hates it just as much but can't help himself. No matter you surely would blame him for it, and hate him all the more if things might go wrong again for that now, and then lose you anyway, if you would lose 'him' in whatever form again, hm…"

"He behaves just like Lore had when he was basically possessed by Graves, and he had little chance to fight his demons," she adds most insightly. "Now Jean-Luc is possessed by you, after he was possessed by the Borg and jeopardised Data again, hm… not to worry Arika, I will talk to him, and if he's not going to end this, I will certify him incapable to lead this mission and ship with your, Deanna's, Data's or Will's help. Faking it or not, purposely or not, and relieve him of duty, so Data will have to see to things," Crusher states finally all determinedly.

"But is it not just most bizarre this situation suddenly? Just imagine, 'Data-Lore' and Jean-Luc at loggerheads over 'love,' who would have ever thought that?" she in turn asks with an amused headshake.

Soong not at all happy about the inevitable findings for sure, as neither are, no less having expected her to reply exactly this, feeling her a most capable psychologist besides a brilliant doctor and agreeing with her every expert and personal most insightly words, she then sighs in nodding at her with a gasping smile over her last more humorous conclusion.

"Yeah well I'm sure neither of them expected 'that', but I sensed the upsurge of this to happen before it took even verbal shape the moment I met him," Soong confesses frankly. "I'm way too alert and aware of these emotional vibes and I told him clearly what I felt, and he pleaded to respect my wishes," she recalls firm-voiced. "It would be a horrible blow for all of us if this gets out of hand, I clearly warned him Beverly, or we just as might leave together. I don't need to be here, or Lore, who's doing his utmost to be Data for you all, and it would be just as drastic if we have to do this to him only because he's in love, and my rejection is turning him to hate Data or Lore now suddenly."

"But I will not allow him to continue this captain or not, real or not, or for Data to even set foot on this 'planet hell', if Picard won't even discuss this matter," sounds her more than steadfast intent indeed. "As I said, Data's talking to Will and Deanna as we speak, who will surely want to talk to him as well, I can feel it, so I leave this to you three and I have another word with Will about the mission later, before we ever engage the darn wormhole" the Professor concludes with Crusher nodding in full agreement." I'm not going to see us emerge at the other end in the confounded Gamma Quadrant in some unknown zone, with an unstable captain in command."

Crusher sighing once more as Soong there gets up and she follows suit, the Doctor then nods again at her fairly serious eyes.

"Quite Arika, let's hope this is just an asinine phase really, or he is faking it to get over you in a very drastic and unsporting manner, but I never knew Jean-Luc to be so unreasonable, or play such dangerous games. I doubt it really might be, you know, Irumodic syndrome, but then again, he might just as well have felt the need to have someone close, because I wasn't around anymore, and projected all that onto you, and merely believes he loves you, hopefully not," she sniggers at Soong instant amused nodding.

"But since he has done that no less when I was already back, and attacked Data verbally like that even if he just puts it on, he's really in a bit of trouble with his feelings that's for sure, trying to rid himself of them in a very unpleasant way he but can control," is her final inference. "But not to worry, we'll talk him out if it either way, thanks for telling me Arika I greatly appreciate your honesty and support in this, 'Commander'," comes her sincere gratitude. "By the way, when is your birthday and where were you actually born, for real I mean, for my records.?"

Smiling at her last words, Soong sighs once more as Crusher accompanies her to the exit.

"October 1st like Bellfort, father did activate him then on purpose, but I was born nine years earlier on Omicron Theta in 2320," she informs her. "Lore by the way was 'born' the same day as Data but three years earlier, or our father as it were but exactly two-hundred-eighty years ago now, this February 2nd in 2332," she replies with Crusher nodding pleased indeed never having known any of it till now.

"Data was activated in 2335 and left behind after the Crystalline Entity struck the year later, and you then found him two years after that, well the _Tripoli _did. So his original activation date is in two weeks really, you never knew Data's birthday I believe," she then states rather than ask for Crusher to nod again with a sorry pout. "He was the only officer on board who never even had any kind of anniversary party, which was really most inconsiderate the least, and Bellfort was only fifty, which is still so very young, but Data hardly reached beyond forty years, when he…"

Soong unexpectedly overcome by sudden tears creeping upon her again, Crusher instantly takes her into her arms, to console her extreme sorrow welling up inside her once more she will never be able to quell. Soong allowing it grateful for her kind support after a moment of catching herself again, as it still is a cruel fact no matter what, that Data is indeed gone as his original body, Crusher then she says as Soong turns to the door with a deep heave.

"I think we have to see to a nice double birthday party then, don't you 'Commander'?"

Soong smiling at her nodding faintly mumbling up some mildly hysteric, "I believe so yes," the doors open, and Soong so heads into the empty corridor, at Crusher's nodding after her with a dear smile and thank you. Soong so leaving her behind in her most displeased and now even more worried mind, Crusher slowly returns to her seat and sits down at the desk again, looking most ponderously.

Staring at Soong's to-be-added file flickering on the screen, with merely her name showing, not even the date of birth or anything beyond that yet, she wonders, if she will ever actually attach any completed file, if her long-time friend will not get his act together and turn his attention back to her, before the Professor might just leave along with Data undoubtedly. Thinking that she might even consider to ask him, to marry her for real, not only to stop him from thinking about Soong, she no less regards highly and would not want to see either to leave or Data, they both could finally get their own deserved union together perhaps.

Outside in the deserted hallway Soong on her way to her quarters, stops for a moment sighing up in more sorrow, as if having forgotten what to do or where to go next, close to another weeping mental collapse. But then she suddenly has a further severe trigeminal neuralgia attack and jolts forwards, as if being pushed by some invisible force again, hissing up sharply in clutching for her skull, and slams her right hand against the wall panel to hold on to something.

With the sensor comm function to activate by accident on her touching it, and as the pain subsides just as fast again, she angrily blinks at it to shut it down again, just as she had closed the weapons drawer in Data's office, by her mere literal mental input of her telekinetic 'tech' abilities.

But then she suddenly gasps up, as she can feel warm blood trickle from her nose, feeling for it with trembling fingers, and seeing the dark red spot on her hand, she stares at it all petrified suddenly, in whispering to herself with widening eyes telling of sheer horror, "Oh no not that, father no…"

Looking around utterly disoriented suddenly as if contemplating to return to sickbay, she but then only keys in some code into her interface with her so white fingers, and heads towards the next turbolift looking very pale suddenly starting to shake as if lost in sheer fright. Hitting the sensor button to near death in angry impatience to hurry off, she then vanishes into the opening and vacant lift, as if trying to run away suddenly.

Just off the next intersection as it were, Riker with Troi and Data are there very close on their way to sickbay, and Data stops there for a second as if thinking very hard about something, tilting his head in his usual idiosyncratic manner, and both looking at him, she then asks what the matter is, and Data so says in frowning at them in but heading along the corridor.

"I believe Arika just had another neuralgia attack from her cortex chip, I can sense her pain as mental 'thread' just as she can sense me," he states to their no lesser concern. "But it appears to have passed, she has been with Dr Crusher it seems but left already, I better check on her if I may Commander?"

All proceeding to get to sickbay, Riker smiles at Troi and says as they stop close by the shut doors.

"You're the boss now Data remember?" he replies with a grin. "You don't need to ask 'me' anything you're my FO for all I know, and don't call me Commander for god's sake anymore either 'will' you?"

Data nodding at him placidly as if he had his emotions not run very high it seems, he so takes his leave, with an, "I 'Will', thank you," and with both only snorting at his nonetheless most peculiar mix of trying to appear casual, and yet say humbly thank you on top, Troi says as they turn to the doors.

"I don't think he'll ever get the hang of this first name scenario, or to be your FO for a change, after you no less never promoted him to that either if I may remind you, when Jean-Luc was taken by the Borg remember?" she teases him suddenly he indeed can remember like yesterday. "And it wasn't really very nice of you to put this 'siren' Shelby into his seat, who would have had yours and Jean-Luc's over all our bodies in a Borg assimilation second trust me, she was much too self-centred and over ambitious and very full of herself as sexist as it may sound – and now Data's got your job still so there, serves you both right, 'Will'," she grins at him no less delighted.

Riker giving her a tender kiss on her cheek, he then says in pressing the door signal in perfect agreement however.

"Oh don't I know all about Shelby darling," he blurts out. "Clashed with her big time too, she sure as hell wanted my position badly I tell you, and would have had us all for breakfast without blinking even before the Borg, you're absolutely right, and it was a big mistake alright. I think I'll have to apologise over that to Data, sometime…"

Troi kissing him back as the doors open in nodding at him emphatically with an amused, "You do that," they so enter to talk to Crusher, about their presently much-confused Captain as it were indeed.

15


	5. Chapter 29 Code Of Honour

R E S U R R E C T I O N

Code Of Honour--

Some later time, a recovered Soong can be found at the _Enterprise_'s magnificent arboretum, which on earlier ships was seen to by the transporter chief Miles' wife, Keiko O'Brien, now both still on DS9, the same space station as Bashir or indeed Worf had been stationed since some years now, and who both have decided to stay on the new _F_. So with no one really in charge of the impressive plants and rare flowers, she seems to have taken it into her own hands, to maintain the tranquil and beautiful fauna oasis on board in her place, and where Worf of all people appears to seek her company.

Both no less in uniform and on duty it seems, sans his baldrick of course, he steps behind her timidly while she has already sensed him, but wants him to make himself known at her smile he cannot see facing away attending to some lush greenery, pruning some stems. So he grumbles up for her to turn to him, and she then says with a mildly surprised smile, what brings him here, and with Worf grumbling up once more feeling a bit ridiculous suddenly to be there at all, he then says as she points him to sit on the one stone bench close by next to her, to encourage his words, she somehow already knows.

"I'm sorry Cmdr Soong, but I was wondering if I might talk to you about something," sounds his booming voice. "Well, concerning Data really, and I did not want to… I cannot talk to him directly about that really," he near stutters up.

Soong replying merely, "Oh?" he so nods and as she nods back to pay him full attention, he adds looking fairly guilt-ridden suddenly.

"It also concerns our few-um, 'altercations' really, I'm sure you're aware of if I got this right that you too, have all his memories and all?"

Nodding at him with a straight, "That is correct," as it seems more difficult for him to speak up, he so takes another deep heave and continues at her no lesser kind smile waiting patiently.

"Well-um, and the fact that I never really apologised to him before he-um, and felt really awful after his so heroic sacrifice I found unbelievably valiant," finally flow his words of gratitude expressed. "Even if he might not have had you know, his emotions online and all I do hope not for his sake, as he surely had suffered enough in his so short life-um, but ever since then I cannot address him well, the returned Data in Lore's body as it were anymore," he suddenly states to her quiet surprise raising her left brow getting intrigued now.

"I never knew he had such dreadful misfortune with his own past and all we never realised besides obviously, but now, the-um amazing fact that he came back to us with your incredible skills on your own good husband's demise, I never gathered was such a genius himself as-um Dr von Meyerland Julian always had talked about, and not this 'simple B-4' at all. It's all just too awe-inspiring to me all-round now, no matter obviously an android as such with all due respect Professor, and can be 'resurrected' in different ways in contrast to most 'species'," come more forthright words of final recognition.

Soong nodding again with a meaningful grumble, to signal that she indeed understands perfectly what he is trying to tell her, so far, he then engages his more explicit thoughts.

"Klingons view death differently to Humans you might be aware of, and for our own we have this special death knell ritual, as we see glorious honour and final victory in death, not the end of a life as such, after which the mortal remains are of no meaning anymore as a mere shell," he continues on Soong's nodding signalling to know about that indeed.

"But if someone even forfeited it long before his time, for others to survive, it is beyond comparison. He's like a divinity to me now Professor, and I simply cannot talk to him unless he addresses me first, which might sound odd and is not very helpful on duty I'm sure, but I'm frozen with respect and simply cannot break free from that," Worf confesses to her silent if most pleased amazement. "I talked to him about Spot, and on the bridge when he suffered these hallucinations, but only after he had addressed me first no matter in which form, so-um, this will pose a bit of a problem I believe, Commander."

Sighing there at his not quite as expected statement, seeing his difficulty indeed besides, she does not quite know what to answer him really. Being aware of the Klingon culture as such for sure, but now with his so 'awe-inspired' approach to his new old FO getting in the way of required communication at least on duty, it indeed poses a spot of trouble not only for him now. As most of all within the required chain of command all the more so no one even is aware of as yet.

Soong frowning at his eager eyes, no matter mighty pleased he even honours Data like that now, she then replies not at all unimpressed.

"Hm yes you're right Worf, very tricky that, and I respect your deep reverence for him," she compliments him in turn. "But well, yeah if that now would get in the way of your needing to address him at least on duty 'first' rather than him you, hm, well, what can I say, I'm a bit surprised now to be honest," Soong confesses. "I expected a general apology over your few 'altercations' with him, believe me he has long 'forgotten' about, as long as they won't repeat themselves as he understands your 'hot blood'," Soong grants him to his grateful nod.

"But my this is different, so-um, do you want to be on the bridge when he's not, or vice versa, or is there another way around this, and you have anything in mind as to resolve this 'odd' situation?" she asks him first, to find out if he has thought about a potential solution besides.

Worf shaking his head there at her gracious try to let him choose first up, he replies fairy steeled now to proceed at her kind remark over their few duty related clashes. No less remembering one during the time when Data had full command at Picard's and even Riker's abductions, very soon after the near fatal Lore Borg incident.

When he had shown not only misplaced but open disagreement over his handling the crisis, rather than in private, and Data rightly so had reprimanded him for his utterly inappropriate remark, and it was even touch and go not to end their friendship right there and then. Until Worf conceded to his as ever impatience motivated 'hot blooded' mistake, and merely ended up with another reprimand in his records, only.

"Well Commander, I don't intent to insult him by that on the contrary, and I will talk to the Captain about it, but I wanted to come to you first, so Data now would actually know what I said indirectly. I gather your unique symbiotic relationship within and with each other, and that you both know what the other sees or hears and so forth, so-um, so if I might just address you when he's present, and wait for him to address me first when not, or another officer, and then can discourse as usual, if that's possible I mean," he so proposes with Soong not really pleased about that idea in fact, but lets him to carry on.

"But he's untouchable to me now and I cannot initiate any conversation even in private, it would be against my solid faith of honouring him that way, he's sacred to me now," he declares no lesser proud or determined to stick to it. "That is not to say anything else has changed Commander not at all, he's still my good friend I value highly and greatly respected superior, it's merely me being unable to speak to him first now."

Sighing once more at this most peculiar development suddenly, Soong on the one hand is also very much thrilled to see that no less Worf of all unexpectedly regards Data as this untouchable deity figure, and honours him for his sacrifice in this indeed rather double-edged way, no one else has ever thought of as such, or even otherwise actually. And then of course finds it a sudden most distracting and definitely a very undesirable obstacle to their working together, and merely ponders along his given idea.

Yet again thinking in addition sees it as another most revealing example, that the Klingon culture as complex and different it is, seems to be more regarded aboard than the culture of one, of an android like Data. Which undoubtedly had been hardly furthered to such degree, that Worf is even able to consider any of these his very exclusive privileges and selective status in the first place to Picard's finally own words besides.

Soong trying first to query his sure attempt to see him or his request to be taken again seriously, but not Data all the time while he was still alive, she then addresses him just a mercilessly as she had Picard accordingly.

"Tell me Worf, what would you do, if I were to persuade the Captain not to let you indulge into your 'faith' any further than you have done so far," she so asks him in a deliberately cold tone. "Even if it meant honouring an esteemed friend, no less my 'husband' and your very FO, who has seen his own 'convictions' and culture of one or a handful of Soongs, hardly ever taken so seriously as yours to be honest," Soong scolds him in turn with a mockingly superior head tilt. "So what would that result in, hm?"

Worf now fairly surprised about her unexpected rebuke, and no less true statement besides 'the Klingon' recognises at once, he then tries to consider the possibility, that he might need to cut down on his own expectancy to indulge in his private matters for a change, and to have his very origin constantly respected beyond real need as a recognised culture within the Federation, and after a moment of sober contemplation, Worf replies no less seriously.

"Then I would rather need to leave Commander," comes his straight reply. "Which I hope will not be the case either way, not for the loss of my accommodating my ways alone, but the fact that it cannot be done without all-round inconvenience otherwise, I can see that Professor. But I must honour him that way, so I simply will make way to do that, even if it meant to leave him as my friend – and all my other friends and good colleagues I regard highly, and would miss…"

Seeing how serious this is for him and yet still a major problem, 'either way', she shakes her head with a deliberately forged smile, and replies at his stern if searching eyes, in hope there might be a different approach for him to stay, yet approaches him in an utterly unexpected manner once again.

"Well that does sound serious I must say Worf, hm, and is the most honourable way to respect anyone really, even at the expense of all your friends, very strong belief indeed," Soong allows him for the moment. "I can't agree on in it in all its forms at the rather more complicating nature itself, but appreciate it 'either way'. However, tell me," she there changes her tone again to a more scornful prelude to hit him.

"How can you say you will 'miss' him and your other friends, when you were not even aboard the ship at all times, and only participated in a few 'missions' over the last ten years? And yet enjoyed all privileges possible, and despite plenty deserved reprimands still had your own command of the _Defiant_, and even lived there, hm?" she opens her list of serious issues of great discontent against Worf in turn now, he simply has to face in visibly shocked silence.

"You even made it to ambassador I frankly find most inappropriate as to your flawed service record Worf, all the while Data always tried or did his ever best in contrast utterly superior to you all in every respect, yet only once held an official captain's chair where he merely met more prejudice? He hardly had the same chances, the full deserved recognitions or better respect other than here on board, which still sometimes lacked, and never would have been asked to represent anything let alone more 'disposable androids', hm?" she lays into him now with relish.

"And don't say because Picard never promoted him, we know exactly why. Or because he was not, 'human', we bloody well know was the main reason! Tell me, hm?" she demands with another indignant head tilt not really expecting him to answer her right now." And just between you and me now Worf, I personally don't consider your Klingon 'culture' as civilised at all, and I really wonder how the hell you ever were allowed to join the UFP to be honest," she suddenly confesses to his silent abhor but does not dare oppose her.

"With a bunch of unpleasant barbarians raging wars with everyone, power mad sisters and kids out for killing each other for good measure, and most of all every 'thing' without any respect for anyone else's' lives, hm? To the point of even exterminating a colony of harmless 'Tribbles', I found more than disgusting in fact, as another glorious example of your 'bloody culture' as good Odo put it to you once and Julian told me about. So I'm afraid, if you personally want to get into my good book, you have to do much better than before with Data, or in general honour code or not, Worf."

Seeing the great discrepancies by all means, and sudden historical events of not the most civilised colour showing for sure, Worf is rather surprised to face this line of merciless comparison and frank thinking suddenly now. Yet before he might even be able to answer any of these old issues of never addressed matters, she merely adds some more, with Worf knowing fair well she is perfectly right at any rate, not only from her own point of keenest view he will ever see.

"If I may remind you Worf, **you** were the one to force Picard into the blind action to call for autodestruct during the unholy Borg siege you basically only stumbled into, not even once thinking of your 'friend' Data then, who had been taken by them from right under your very nose," she seriously mocks him now. "He could even 'hear' you all once connected to the hive, and Picard could hear him in return calling for him, to make him realise he was still alive, how does that make you feel, hm?" comes another ridiculing salvo he is not expected to defend with any answer as of yet.

"While none of you were sparing him a second thought of what the hell he might be going through, as rather wanting to blow him to kingdom come like that, not even knowing if he was dead or still alive, hm? So what's with this complex 'honour code' suddenly Worf, hm?" she sneers at him again with curled lips. "When you left him to suffer in their hands over a period of no less ten hours, hm? How can you really care for his 'honour' suddenly let alone 'resurrected' life, when you didn't even respect him by a mere thought, but wrangled over your own stupid 'braveness' I find an absolute insult, hm? Because of your so 'special Klingon culture' I find severely lacking in every dis-respect, which doesn't give a damn about any ever-replaceable android's 'shell' besides, hm!?"

Worf now utterly struck mute by her so unexpected and harsh sermon suddenly, he feels all the more intimidated at her still so virulent defence of her own hitting him now full on, if not in a physical sense either way. Seeing her attacking him just the same for his indeed disgraceful thoughtlessness at least back then, he finds himself now in the dock just the same suddenly after the fact, for her endless crusade to seek belated justice for her brothers, over long gone events which could have been handled better for dead sure.

So trying to explain his side finally, which might not have been so clear cut at the time, he raises his humbled eyes and voice at her icy silence.

"You're right Professor, I have enjoyed great privileges aboard and don't deserve them fully, at others' lesser being able to express theirs at times that is true," he openly concedes not even grudgingly. "Or for my plenty reprimands which should have seen me demoted besides, and not even having been here all the time in contrast to Data that is correct," Worf indeed has to admit to besides. "And who sometimes even had to issue his own discipline over my rash actions as you surely know at my fiery impatience sometimes, with anyone not to use that as an excuse now, and I do apologise for that unreservedly, Professor."

Soong nodding at him faintly for the moment, so he would continue as to rather just leave and these too personal things will never be sorted amongst them, wanting to hear his side of the disgraceful Borg incident just the same for sure, Worf so takes heart and does exactly that.

"And I must confess that-um, during our escalating Borg crisis, I did want to abandon the obviously failed 'mission' at the end, purely to save the few crew left going too fast by the minute," he explains calmly Soong can accept so far. "And concerning Data, I truly had expected, and you must believe me Professor, that they had killed him, hopefully without much suffering, at his unlike nature unable to assimilate him. But not before a great battle to fight his ground and take as many as possible of them with him, to glorious death," was his certainly wishful thinking then as a warrior mind, which Soong just as much can acknowledge nodding again.

"Thus I was never even assuming they had instead taken him at his failing system for his usually so superior fighter prowess, and because we never had heard from him again," comes his additional sentiment of then. "But I neither had expected they did all these horrible things to him instead, while I was only hoping he was dead and never thought of his possible distress at all, despite no clear proof to anything of his status I could not really establish myself. So we surrendered, but not the ship, along with him hopefully long dead…"

Stopping himself there, at her still icily watching his every animated facial expression, feeling his honest and remorseful explanations to be of just these recollections, she so nods shortly to signal that she believes and accepts his words so far, with a short grumble of acknowledgment.

"But after his eventual release from his brutal survival, and we realised what unbelievable traumas had been inflicted on him, even I was rather shocked and there isn't much that can jolt me Professor," he finally admits either way she can appreciate as such. "But seeing him all that, 'damaged' suddenly, and we realised he suffered all that in full physical and emotional state, I only thought already then, how brave he was and valiantly he must have stood his ground during his no doubt distressing captivity, not to surrender, or the codes for a ship we then simply abandoned…"

"But when he had told me what bizarre hell and eventual even heaven it had been, until he simply wanted it all to end on our autodestruct foiling his own diligent attempts to do so, needing to eventually call on the Captain, and make us realise still to be alive, I simply regarded him already then as, well, more than exceptional really, not only for his-um, advanced 'construct' not at all Professor," he emphasises with upheld hands she accepts I addition.

"But also for his incredible willpower to get through all that for so long hardly any Human can survive," he gladly grants him. "And then we never really talked much about anything personal, for my unspoken belief in his superior nature to have survived any of it really. I sort of felt that he, well, didn't really want to talk about 'emotions' anymore since then, and seemed to sort of 'regress' slowly in that matter, and became very, 'still'..."

Soong nodding at his little there pause again, and no less most keen perception as to Data's indeed lesser emotional state after that, and his already shown highest regard for him after that, she can feel his anxious eyes dart across her stern face as to her next reaction. Believing him his before unknown sentiments not even Data might have been aware of fully, she so lets him conclude his very own view of these so distant, if no less painful and personal issues, at least for her.

"But I recriminated myself more so over my own failure, to have prevented him to fall into enemy hands in the first place Professor, and the moment they took him I was truly startled," he confesses at no easy admission as to his otherwise so battle-hardened views. "Or to better aid him with my help I could have offered even when he was taken right there, or at least once tried to ascertain his status as security chief to see if he was still, alive afterwards…"

"I failed to carry any of it out that day, at my ordered duty to see to the other crew as prime objective, and even had considered beaming him away, or any of the other taken crew to be honest," sounds his suddenly startling revelation no one seems to know about, and Soong finds more than remarkable frowning at him in utter disbelief.

"But the Captain had explicitly ordered us to fight and stand our ground without mercy, until it was too late, not only for Data," comes another unbelievable detail. "I'm sure you can remember then, that the Captain had said to us before, that we should not try not save any crew taken, but rather relieve them from their worse fate, 'do them a favour', by mercy killing them instead, not to get assimilated. I'm so sorry Professor, I tried my best, but circumstances didn't even allow me to do better in his case..."

Seeing finally what had happened that day from a very different perspective, Soong merely nods at his lost eyes there for a moment, as if to apologise over something that had been taken from his hands basically, she so accepts as late but not too late if truly unsettling revelations.

Being even more shocked now, that Picard had even prevented anyone from letting them even attempt to beam Data to safety, let alone his other taken crew, use the one first and last resort, it would have ended not only his own captivity right then, when the others were simply assimilated by the second. Let alone order them to kill their own not to end up a Borg, she herself finds more than drastic, remembering it all indeed, as Data himself had as well only shaking her head in deep upset now.

Worf looking at her visible surprise and quietly angered silence, he so speaks more of his own inner feelings to her, and Data at that, so to make his position clear once and for all besides.

"But when he never returned from our last fatal 'mission' suddenly, it had struck me truly hard as to what he had done for us all once more so selflessly, and that I simply had to make good on all my own letdowns, and show him at least my deepest respect possible, by my ultimate honouring him with my code, once you could restore him to us – I truly would miss him, or my friends greatly, that is why I have returned now, Professor, and will try to protect him from further disaster as best I can now," he guarantees her, or Data in turn.

"But, I would leave again if need be, just so to uphold my ultimate highest regard for him, at the cost of my not being with everyone else, even if it meant not to be able to protect him in person any longer, as paradox as it might sound, but he's simply untouchable to me now, Professor," are his last utterly convinced and most sincere swords.

Soong now fairly surprised about his most personal view in turn, and yet just as acceptable explanation if not defence at that, at his culture's indeed so unlike traditions and his so special regard for his returned friend and esteemed colleague, she decides to show leniency as to his 'fiery warrior heart' speaking mostly. No less at her own most passionate feelings for exactly this her very kin, and in this admirable case of cultural exception, rather than another indulgence in his own traditions merely, and nods at his no less anxious eyes, expecting another very 'emotional' outburst.

"Well I must say, that is a most personal explanation, at not only your so different cultural views, but even direct restrictions to help him better by Picard's unbelievable orders I must say, and I can accept that, never having considered it from a warrior's perspective like yours besides," Soong grants him in turn. "I do respect and see the importance behind your unique reasoning, and realise your full commitment either way Worf, and I will talk to the Captain myself about it. But in the meantime, don't try to make an issue of it, on the bridge if you can, until we find a better way around all that Worf," she requests to his instant and grateful nodding at her mellowed eyes.

"But now that Data knows, I'm sure he's willing to help in the matter, now understanding your side of the very controversial matter just the same, but don't indulge in it too much," comes a mild warning. "No matter how pleased he might be over your truly astonishing regard for him now as it were, but if it will cause problems now of different sorts between you both, and you cannot even touch him literally anymore either, that would be a liability for his safety in case he needs your help and I cannot permit that – So until then I'd say, try your best and don't talk to anyone else about it until we find a solution."

Very happy about her now more than diplomatic approach, Worf nods at her with a sincere smile, feeling most pleased with her indeed just as acceptable reply, and getting up there, says with even a short bow at her to show his indisputable respect for her just the same, she can appreciate 'either way' indeed as well.

"I will Cmdr Soong thank you so much – and-um my deepest gratitude to, Data, Sir."

Nodding back at his double appreciation with a sighful smile, he nods at her again, turns on his heels and makes his relieved way out through the great jungle of the _Enterprise_, leaving Soong behind with a no less grimmer face than before, at the again more complicated situation. So having arrived suddenly due to an officer's ability, to have their unique origin respected beyond real needs, even if it meant honouring her family to a truly remarkable and satisfying extent, she indeed had not expected either and needs to recap on these issues for a moment.

Shaking her head again, feeling not at all happy about the entire bizarre turn suddenly mainly so for the complicating context, she just remains there in the beautiful garden of the magnificent ship, no less having underestimated Worf's true sentiments for sure, never having realised his hands of more decisive actions had been so severely bound then besides. Just as Data's had been only days ago again as well, to most fatal results.

9


	6. Chapter 30 The Loss

R E S U R R E C T I O N

The Loss--

With everyone back on the bridge, including the Captain in his chair, Soong is next to him with Troi next to her, Data is at his Ops station and Riker is in his place really sitting next to Picard. As nothing in terms of the earlier seat arrangements has changed at all, with everyone back together now with only Soong an extra commander, and Data as First Officer and not Riker anymore, so the other officers are in place. Along with Worf and La Forge at their old stations, and obviously having discussed the several issues arisen, Worf and Picard look perfectly composed, Soong seems at ease, and Troi along with Riker are not the least concerned, for the moment.

Except for Data, he is just staring out the large viewscreen in no good mood at all sporting an unusually grim face, in no clear idea as to why exactly either, or in any attempt to have his emotions run low at the moment. Keeping his nifty finger flying across the controls of his panel to remote pilot the other ship ahead of them, as they so finally have arrived at the Bajoran wormhole, he then says perfectly dispassionately as usual in turning to the Captain.

"All systems operating Captain, the _Titan_'s helm is under my control Sir, we may engage the Bajoran wormhole, on my mark."

With the Conn officer to be Crusher indeed, Wesley there looks at him with a smile, Data returns changed in a nano second, and with both nodding at each other, they so engage to enter the direct and fast way to reach into the dark Gamma Quadrant, within a few minutes only, on Picard's, "Make it so Number One," as that Data's rightful rank now, he must respect.

As everyone else is nonetheless excited about this first attempt to remote pilot a massive Starship through a wormhole at warp speed, closely pursued by another even bigger giant, far enough not to get vortexed inside her wake, they both so head straight into it, and with the ships having a fairly smooth ride all the way into it, at half the 100.000 light-years mark, Data there suddenly declares no lesser calmly.

"Sensors are picking up elevated neutrino levels – an object is heading straight for the _Titan_ at 50.000 light-years ahead, I am engaging in correction manoeuvres."

Everyone fearing an inevitable collision suddenly, Riker looks at Picard with a deep heave, who so gazes back at him just as calmly, and then both look at Data watching him merely keep his nifty fingers to the console initiating the _Titan_'s course alteration, ever trusting in his superior skills to avoid just such a grim disaster. Wesley peering over to him once to keep the _Enterprise_ under his own helm control matching his altered course, announcing to do just that, at co-ordinated bearings, Worf so adds as Picard looks back at him checking his own readouts.

"It is a Ferengi Marauder Captain – sensors indicate that their own sensor system have detected, and are aware of us, Sir," he informs him. "They are keeping to their own steady course, and will pass by us in, ten seconds."

Data seconding that at his own readings, having corrected their course to clear the oncoming ship, they all just hope the ten seconds are over soon. When the Ferengi ship then whizzes past them nearly unnoticed at a clearance of a hundred more to pass by neatly, Data announces that they just have passed the Marauder, and with Wesley more than glad keeping a steady distance to the _Titan_, they both so finally emerge at the other end without any more unexpected encounters or possible glitches.

After a few more kilometres to head deeper into sector to meet exact coordinates and keep clear of the wormhole traffic, Data finally looking over to a smiling Wesley, he then says with some last control inputs turning to a very relieved Picard, as the _Titan_ comes to a full stop.

"We have cleared the wormhole Captain, the _Titan _is ahead of us full stop and standing by, we are at set coordinates, Sir."

All very happy about this excellent if nail-biting start, and seeing the other Starship just ahead of them, he then adds casually.

"The sensor array in online Sir, ready to scan given sector."

Picard sighing deeply, he then replies no lesser casually and very pleased.

"Well done Data, brilliant job you two," he compliments them. "Bring her about Wesley, 10.000 abeam full stop, deploy cloak now Worf – and scan the hell out of it Taitt…'

With everyone looking at him there, while Wesley frowns at Data as he says, "Bringing her about, 10.000 abeam full stop, Sir," not sure to laugh or frown at his last unusually léger line, Troi shakes her head with a smile at an amused Riker, and Worf so replies, "Cloak engaged, Sir."

Soong feeling her not to sense anything awry either, Riker merely looks at Data there looking back at him, no less both fairly amused, for him to have said that before at Obs lounge himself, and with Lieutenant Taitt to do her part, she then replies in turn, "Aye Sir, scanning prearranged coordinates."

With the _Enterprise_ engaging her brand-new cloaking technology, she scroll-fades into the black and purplish fluffed-up space of the magnificent DeMoy Nebula formation right ahead of them, and is suddenly rendered utterly undetectable, or the least perfectly invisible. With the strange planet ahead now coming into full visual range, the _Titan _sits there alone now as a decoy, while the array is buzzing away to scan the unknown sector, and Data so gets up and announces the following n turning to the pleased Captain.

"I am on my way to board her now Sir, the other officers are standing by to beam over with me in transporter room one."

Picard sighing again, he nods at him and gets up himself now with a, "Very well Data," but then steps into his way and adds as Data intends to head for the exit with a casual, "Aye Sir," only to stop to look at his genuine smile as Soong there gets up to take his place, but halts her steps as well, watching them both face each other in remaining next to them.

"Please be careful and keep an open comm link, please Data will you?" Picard begs him with a smile. "I'd be even more upset to lose you again do you hear me my friend?

With everyone watching them both the same now, Data replies in his usual soft-voiced manner, apparently now not even at the mid level of emotions anymore, and nods at him no lesser gratefully.

"I will Sir, thank you Sir."

Just a bit disappointed about his fairly neutral response, Picard nonetheless touches both his shoulders with a friendly pat, and nods at his faint smile for Data to leave them to it, and with a quick glance at Soong and her returning a loving smile, in fact feeling his slight unease, she so takes his place as he is entering the turbolift.

Picard sitting down again the same, he calls for the transporter to stand by, and with some man's voice returning to be ready, he adds, "Split screen Geordi," and as La Forge says, "Aye Sir," they wait for the Away Team to transpire on the other ship, soon thereafter.

With the viewscreen so transitioning into two halves, they can see the other bridge on the left side as the Away Team then appear right there, and with the planet still in clear view, it so appears on the right side. Data then taking his place in the Captain's chair, with the other three officers to take the helm manned by Lieutenant Barrowclough, the Ops is held by Lieutenant Mirfield, and his place as Data's FO, Lieutenant Commander Bellefonte just being promoted as it were as Riker's former SO to full commander.

Data so looking straight at his own viewscreen, he activates the same dual function.

"We are ready to receive scanning results Captain," he announces as they all watch them keenly attentive.

Picard answering, "Very well, Taitt how is it looking?" everyone waits for the analysis, and looking over to Taitt keeping an eye on the progress of the new sensor array along with Lieutenant Barclay, she there frowns after a while not sure what is going on. Peering at a no lesser puzzled Barclay as everyone else is doing their own observations, he there also starts to frown for some obviously more negative events taking place, and with all then gluing their eyes on him, he turns to them shrugging his shoulders, and exclaims all lowly.

"Um-nothing – no results at all Captain, zero detection as if nothing is out there," he declares meekly to their utter surprise. "Bar the DeMoy Nebula itself, sorry Sir but it's not even picking up on the planet itself let alone anything on it – it's just, 'nothing' there," Barclay mumbles up more than puzzled himself.

One and all frowning at him in utter disbelief now, even Data, Picard there gets up again to look at him in shaking his head with a dark frown.

"That can't be right!" come his words of non acceptance, "Data?" Picard then wails for him in turning around to the viewscreen.

Getting up there himself, Data quickly heads over to the _Titan_'s own science station linked up with the _Enterprise_'s, to check on the relayed data, and then says no lesser mystified, as he cannot find 'anything' either.

"Sorry Sir, I do not understand why there seems to be a command path discontinuity, and no useful results are received," he states with a mystified pout. "The array is within working parameters, there are no instrument malfunctions, all is online and the entire systems is healthy," he confirms from his end. "It appears the planet might be shielded or cloaked by some unknown forcefield to give us false or no readings, despite the fact that we can see it. But not even the long-range scanners can pick up on any such technology or any other forms of energy, inorganic or biological matter or how to achieve that – It's just, 'nothing' there, Sir," he states still very perplexed with even casual contractions creeping in he hardly ever used like Lore would speak.

All just getting a bit uneasy now, as to how it can read, 'nothing', Barclay only confirms his words, and with Taitt not any closer to the reason only nodding too, Picard frowns at Riker, who merely shrugs his shoulders back at him in no better clues. Soong not any cleverer than Data at any rate at his very own given direct inputs into her own mind, or vice versa, no one has any more concrete ideas as to why they can see the planet, just lurking behind the purple strands of the magnificent DeMoy Nebula space fluff.

"Nothing!" Picard suddenly spits out all the more irritated now. "But we can see it! 'Planet bloody Iceman Hell'! It's right there!" he shouts up in pointing to the viewscreen showing it clearly. "What about the other sensor sweeps, what can they 'pick up'? Could it be a holographic projection to fool intruders," he then addresses Soong in standing himself behind her. "How about scanning for infrared radiation, the planet's 'dark heat' Professor, it must have that surely?"

Soong running a quick check over his last question, she then answers that by pouting to herself first, as Riker there joins them to stand behind her next to him with both staring at the viewscreen, before she then replies equally at a loss.

"No Sir, scanners would detect the holographic emitter signature, besides, why show us there is 'something' and then disguise it as 'nothing'?" she states in looking at Picard's nodding frown. "There literally is just nothing – zero anything. Just as Cmdr Riker said before, absolutely nothing any scanners can pick up on, not even the special array, no images no readings no nothing, no infrared radiation either, and it's all functioning normally," she rattles down the list of nothings. "It looks like the planet itself does simply not, 'exist', even though it might of course, and we can see it. Except the DeMoy Nebula is 'real'," Soong adds to no one's surprise. "And the only thing I can tell you is, that I might be able to estimate how relatively distant this 'nothing' is to us… Sir."

Getting rather annoyed now, Picard goes back to his seat to sit down with Riker on his heels, and as he sits next to him, Riker then says in shaking his head again just as Picard.

"This doesn't look right, and if I hear the word 'nothing' again I scream, how about a warp field burst to make it 'really' visible, Geordi?" he addresses the attentive Engineer directly.

La Forge shaking his own head slowly not even attempting to scan anything, he pouts back at Riker.

"Sorry Sir – tried that, it's as it is – 'nothing', though we can see 'it'," he replies softly no lesser baffled himself hoping Riker would not scream at another 'nothing'.

Picard only shaking his head yet once again getting more than irate now, he frowns at the mocking viewscreen with a deep heave.

"We had that 'nothing' sort before with this 'Nagilum' damned superalien… can you sense anything Deanna?" he then asks her directly.

"'Nothing' Captain," she replies almost not wanting to repeat the word shaking her head just the same. "Absolutely nothing, only us present, all not very happy about it either…"

Sighing deeply again, Picard is close to just giving up, and then says almost to himself.

"How can they beam down to a planet that doesn't 'exist'? Transporters couldn't lock on to 'nothing', no matter what distance, shuttles or even our best scout vessel aren't save enough really. Could the _Titan_ be landed there Will, it's got enough bulk to be safe?" comes his question for Riker, looking at him as he only pouts at back him.

"Sure – it'll be tricky but possible," he states fairly confidently in shrugging his broad shoulders. "But we have no idea of the terrain, or any other conditions," comes his reminder. "Except it's said to be very cold and dry down there and to have near no atmosphere, so they can't just land there and walk around, without special gear."

Picard nodding at him with a disgruntled grumble, Data there interrupts them in going back to his chair.

"I could Sir," he reminds them softly in turn. "I do not require atmosphere as you know it, I could land the _Titan_ and investigate on my own, while my crew stay behind to keep an eyes on the ship so we could relaunch at any given moment's short notice," sounds his no lesser seriously meant offer.

Soong looking back at Picard there, feeling very much at unease suddenly, they all just stare at him as he does not reply at once for Data not even to think of it, after what he just had said to him and to be careful, and now Data offering the exact opposite, he does not seem to be opposed to it suddenly. As Picard is staring at the purple planet, hiding behind the treacherously beautiful purple DeMoy Nebula, he is visibly in inner turmoil over his well-meant offer, but then suddenly says something utterly unexpected.

"I will go with him," comes his kind if unwise and all the sterner reply. "I can't let him go down there alone, not again, Data I'm coming over," he hollers at the viewscreen. "And don't **any**one even try to dissuade me that's an order!"

Everyone there turning to him or getting up to face him in near simultaneously exclaiming more or less quietly, "No Captain!" Picard but simply ignores them all and heads to the turbolift resolutely with a most emphatic, "You have the bridge Will, objections noted!"

Yet only Soong and Data did not join the chorus as only frown at the other, and reluctantly wanting to let him depart just the same, they all just stare at one another in most perplexed surprise struck mute, yet indeed know exactly why he decides to join Data. But before he can even enter the opening turbolift, Soong there suddenly has another severe trigeminal nerve attack, and jolts forwards away from her station, again as if being pushed by someone, clutching for the base of her skull with a sharp hiss of intense pain, and everyone is suddenly looking at her most concerned.

Picard seeing them all stare back at her, he instantly returns with one and all asking what the matter is, he actually wants to explain having witnessed it before, but she seems not to hear them at all suddenly, looking disoriented and turns very pale. Feeling for her nose there as blood all of a sudden comes trickling from it again in a steady flow, and seeing it dark red and warm on her right hand once more so soon, she is visibly petrified at the sight, while everyone is just racing towards her most concerned. Except for squeamish Barclay, who nearly faints at the sight of the slightest amount of blood, even seeing it at that distance only.

As Data-Lore is feeling her intense pain just the same, he instantly activates his thumb beamout device with a near instantaneous in and output autocue, to relay his own coordinates to transport himself to the exact chosen location, with a shout at his officers to standby, having witnessed her attack as well, and so reappears on the bridge unnoticed to the crew just behind them within seconds.

Soong trying to input some code into her interface with shaking fingers, to fire some higher analgesic dose into her brain, she starts to tremble like a leaf suddenly, mumbling to herself with a crying voice, "Oh god father no not that no, Lore, where…" looking for him in terror and dead white as a Borg.

Who is right there by her side suddenly, fighting his way through the dispersing crew as Picard calls for them to stay back dashing for her the same, in ever greater fright and his own growing pain, as no one seems to get through to her with their concerned words. Staring at Lore there with an aghast face as he wants to grab for her arms, and before the code can be finished, she abruptly freezes up calling out for him again simply collapsing into a sudden heap, and is about to slam to the ground face up gasping up falling unconscious.

Lore just about able to snatch for her near instantly before her head hits the deck, slipping his arms right under her slim body in one swift move, he lifts her into his strong embrace and rushes straight over to the still open turbolift. Troi instantly following the Captain turning on his heels to chase after him, he shouts at Riker to have the bridge and to halt everything, who so only nods back at Picard with a loud, "Aye Sir!"

Picard so calling for the turbolift to go straight to sickbay, and then for Dr Crusher on his combadge to stand ready, for the Professor having passed out and to be still bleeding from her nose, Crusher replies to be at hand as they hurry to her with everyone anxiously staring at her slumped in Lore's secure arms, holding her as tight as possible not to crush her in his utter dismay.

With the sickbay doors opening on Crusher there already with nurse Ogawa in her wake, Lore brings her swiftly over to one of the beds to lay her down gently, as Crusher quickly activates her ready medic tricorder with Ogawa close to assist. Picard so stepping back to join a most concerned Troi, Lore is near out of his former so composed mind, clutching for Soong's left hand, no less explaining what just has happened.

"It's the special chip in her cortex connected to her interface via a cybernetic subdermal neural pathway link, which keeps shooting gold nanoparticle analgesia straight from her brain matrix into the neuron cells where it's blocking the pain receptors in place of conventional chemical painkillers, very much as in a human brain… but she never was haemorrhaging before," sound his fast and anxious words in holding Soong's icy and white hand tightly with both his.

Soong apparently out cold, Crusher shakes her head in scanning her with the peripheral device, and with the nurse to take care of the bleeding to stop, by running some other device over it to arrest it, wiping away the lost amount and is everyone looking most concerned now, Crusher then says in putting away her tricorder.

"It's corroded," she declares no less calmly. "It burst the main trigeminal artery it has dislodged into, and it's haemorrhaging badly into her skull. I have to operate to extract it before it might detach, and enter her bloodstream to travel to her heart. I must stop the cranial bleeding Data-um, Lore," she explains to their silent horror. "It'll be fine, her heart rate is still steady if feeble, but it has to come out or the toxic discharge will kill her, I'm sure you know all that, don't worry I can do it – please, Data, Bellfort please, Lore?"

Not sure who to address at it were, Crusher there smiles at him with a pleading touch to his shoulder, to let her do her job. But he shakes his head with a painful frown and replies, while Troi grabs for his arm to ease his obvious distress, and Picard stands behind them, not at all happy about it either, feeling just as concerned in his own emotional inner turmoil to see her like that, but dares not interfere himself.

"No Doctor no!" Lore protests instantly. "The chip keeps her painfree and is based very much on Geordi's VISOR painblocking principle, it must at least be replaced. Bellfort implanted it to serve as a direct link from her artificial hand to the interface, for the other cybernetic implants not to cause her more pain she has since many years now, some of them didn't take and without that she would be in constant agony. It should not be removed," he urges her in turn.

Crusher still unperturbed though, she smiles at him again and pats his shoulder again seeing his great concern.

"I will replicate one, don't worry Data," Crusher guarantees him with a soft smile.

Crusher so nodding at another male nurse having joined them on standby, to pick the Professor up again, he wants to, but Lore there suddenly hinders him and shakes his head at him most insistently, as if he does not want him to touch her utterly distressed now. Crusher so putting both her hands gently on his shoulders, she smiles at his eyes near tears there, and says as Troi keeps holding on to his arm.

"You bring her over to the biobed then Data, but we have to hurry, please, it will be fine trust me… Data please now?"

Gazing back down on his endangered wife, Lore can only let her do her best job trusting her no less implicitly. So then slowly letting go of her hand while Troi steps beside Picard, to slide his arms under her and lift her carefully into his safe embrace again, Crusher holds her head steady, and then carries her over to the special biobed some way off, located inside a special intensive care ward, with all in silent tow.

Crusher activating the biobed to open up the clamshell or surgical support frame, and Lore puts her down, laying her out cautiously ever so lovingly once more, she nods at Ogawa to get ready, and then at Troi, who gathers what she wants her to do, as she there grabs for Lore's arm again, and smiles at his despondent eyes to slowly pull him away from the bed.

"Come Data," Troi begs him gently. "Let Beverly do her good job it'll be aright, come lets go into your quarters please, hm yes, Lore?"

Lore yet only looking at Picard there pleading with him to let him stay, he but there heads for the doors to lead them outside with a faint headshake, and with Lore still only staring back at his beloved, he then whispers lowly resigning himself to let her be taken care of without his need to stay.

"Please don't remove the interface Doctor, I will need to monitor her via her supercomputer linked with it, please?"

Crusher nodding at him with an, "I won't don't worry," she gives him a last smile of reassurance, and he then very reluctantly lets himself be moved away from the ward, while Picard there says as they slowly leave the quiet facility.

"I'm going to inform Will, we have to delay this darn mission for now, you cannot leave for this damned planet just yet either Data, the Professor's life is more important," he states adamantly. "And I say that as your friend Data, please have faith," he addresses him directly now with a sincere smile. "And only if all's well, then we will recommence this 'mission', Data don't worry do you hear, Lore yes, hm?

All having reached into in the dimmed corridor, Lore does not reply anything as merely nod vaguely darting his pained eyes across the new floor. Troi gently moving him on step by step, she smiles at his most concerned face gazing back at her with thinned trembling lips near crying, while they slowly proceed to the nearest turbolift.

"It'll be alright Data," she assures him again with a tender touch to his hands clasped over his chest. "Come, let's have some quiet chat in your quarters and you can tell me all about her yes, please will you, hm Data, Lore – Bellfort, please, I'd like to know everything, hm?" Troi tries to persuade him.

With the turbolift opening and they enter, Picard calls for Deck Nine while Lore merely nods at her smile again, and the lift so commencing, they are on their way to the command officers' quarters now located just under Ten-Forward. All the while Crusher is trying hard to save his wife's life, no less not having told him the full facts as it were, as it is not the chip only which caused her to haemorrhage so badly.

In Data's quarters then some time later, Lore is pacing up and down utterly unable to settle his frayed emotions, and Troi getting up from the black chair by the table, she steps into his way to grab him softly by his arms, and says as he merely then stops most reluctantly.

"Data, Data – Lore, listen, it'll be fine," she reassures him again. "You know Beverly can do this, please sit down with me again, and tell me some more about her, please will you?"

Lore in no mood to actually do that, he winds himself slowly from her loose clasp, and then replies in heading to the table to check on The Gird, which this time is monitoring her very life signs via her interface, showing her vitals as fairly stable, so far.

"I doubt it's the chip only," he replies moodily. "My lovely rose Arika withheld what she was feeling and thinking when she started haemorrhaging, I don't know what, I can't access her past's files relating to that but she mentioned our father. She was deliberately keeping it from me not to concern me even more so I'm sure, but this is all wrong Counsellor, it's much more serious than Dr Crusher tried to make me believe I can feel it, it's bad enough as it is – I have to contact our father, he must know what's wrong with her," he suddenly declares unable to wait any longer and heads for her supercomputer placed on the lounge table.

So sitting down to start accessing The Grid, Lore tries to activate it to relay the relevant data straight into his own matrix, via her interface link back into his own brain. But since she is unconscious, this function is literally offline to actually access her positronic neural net, from The Grid via her interface directly, and realising that only now of course way too concerned, he shakes his head with a plagued sigh.

"The Grid can't help me to tap into her brain matrix via her interface, since she's unconscious it's offline, it only shows her status," he explains getting more concerned by the moment. "I have to access the computer otherwise, it might hold some information on where exactly he is now, she said he was at home, but I suspect he's gone to Ba'ku," comes his logical deduction while Troi steps by his side. "She tried to keep it from me for some unknown reason but I have to find him there, he must come aboard to help her. It's been an hour now, and a simple extraction and reinsertion doesn't take that long, or even to arrest her haemorrhaging. Her vitals are not that stable either, and she should be in a much better shape than this by now."

Troi sitting herself by his side looking at his utter determination, he appears suddenly all that composed and cool a literal thinking machine again, apparently having set his emotion control to the lowest level possible for now. Watching him as he tries to command The Grid to release the personal logs, so the data screen splits in half again for the holoscreen and system record, showing her virtual reality as she still lies in sickbay.

Demonstrating her as sixty percent negative flatlines as to an only forty percent positive oscillating live reading, and three reference points as to Crusher, Ogawa and the nurse in close proximity, the other pulled files so appear to display their entries separately on the opposite screen. But before he can even scan the files, Troi there suddenly says in leaning her elbows on the table folding her hands to look at him from a lower angle.

"I know where he is Data, Lore," she informs him to his clear surprise looking at her with a dark frown. "And please don't you call me counsellor again, and it's Beverly remember? We all know where he is, even Julian," she divulges to his silent annoyance. "I'm sorry, but it was supposed to be another well-meant surprise, for your father to come aboard at some point to see you Lore and Data again, after all these years of separation, and he has been kept up-to-date of what was happening with you, all – But I believe you're right, I felt Beverly's great unease beyond the normal concern before an operation like this, and that he should come here earlier than Arika had planned him to meet you 'all'…"

Lore acknowledging this for the moment as given and as dispassionately as can be, he only nods at her so honest attempt to help him, and her seeing how terribly upset he was or no doubt still is, even though he but would not show to be at the moment, and all she can sense is this usual void she remembers from Data, she adds in touching for his hand by the supercomputer in great support again, trying her best to cheer him up somehow.

"He's with his former wife from there, not to start anything you understand, but to live there amongst 'old' friends to rejuvenate as it were," she informs him further. "You can reach him there via his own terminal – he's been there ever since before Arika came on board, and she sent him there to recuperate and all. I'm sure she must have some way to contact him directly… so I guess you will be seeing him a little earlier than not expected really hm, don't you feel happy about that?"

Smiling at his no lesser pondering eyes, he only replies just as coldly as he looks at her, not so much for what she said or did, as he takes it as another kindly indented surprise, but simply to get on top of his otherwise very bad and hurt feeling, while she tries her paramount to console and help him.

"Well yes I do, but it's not for the right reasons now is it?" comes his short reply.

Oddly cold-voiced suddenly, Lore punches in some other command into The Grid, to release the needed computer terminal codes to contact his father's directly, and then picking it up, goes straight over to the office to place it on and sit by his desk. So activating the console monitor to receive the direct data from it, and to uplink a subspace transmission to reach to the Ba'ku homeworld where he can find his father hopefully, he waits impatiently watching the connection progress with a dark face.

Troi following him slowly not wanting to intrude as it were, she steps next to him while he waits for the subspace communications network to connect them, and seems neither interested nor disinterested in her presence, only watching the screen showing the standby signal for the initiated connection to be in set-up progress.

All utterly composed now waiting with his other eye kept on the unchanged holoscreen event status, it is still showing her more negative than positive readings, which greatly concerns him as he yet tries to stay calm. Too calm as it were, but merely so not to run amok in his nervous grief.

"Do you want me to leave Data? Or Lore?" she asks softly seeing his attention glued to the screens. "Pardon me, but how should I actually address you I mean, I offered all of your brothers to call me Deanna, but how am I to address 'you'? It is a bit confusing with you all inside one body now?"

Lore looking at her there with a slight smile, he then says in pointing her to sit by him, and she gladly does while he seems ever more withdrawn, not to feel the extreme fear he harbours over his lovely rose Arika.

"In any form you like, Deanna," he replies softly. "I will be whoever you want me to be, because now I can adapt and chameleonise any character and mannerisms as to any of their own personalities, and the way I will reply and act will be that person in every detail if needed, or anyone else for that matter," Lore tells her with a slight glint in his purple eyes she finds more than amazing either way.

"Unless I will be 'myself'– this new persona, a cross between them all, with an equal measure of a third to each of my brothers, with Arika as our all solid backbone," he informs her further. "Although I rather would say that Data has the biggest slice of true 'input' undoubtedly, yet Lore is the more powerful, and Bellfort is with us merely as memory by now but not as a dominant character anymore. We, 'I' need to access him like any other memory."

Troi sensing 'him' to be rather distant over his highly intriguing words, she tries not to be too pushy to find out further details, but is still all the more amazed about what he said already, and Lore then states further as they watch the monitor screen not getting them any closer to be connected taking already too long, while his small eyes are just darting from one display to the other.

"How do you feel about that Data – um-Lore, I don't know, does this new 'persona' have a name too?" she there asks genuinely interested breaking the moody silence.

Lore smiling at her faintly, he then nods in leaning back not at all happy about the duration this connection is taking, putting his fingers together to look like a pyramid with his thumbs pointing at himself, and then looking straight at her he replies rather bitingly, suddenly reverting to the 'old' Lore he was, when he had talked to Picard the first time at Obs.

"Well actually he has, 'I' named him, 'Bellorda', as an anagram of all our names," he replies with a faint grin. "But mainly I'm Lore as my hardwired character trait, which cannot even be mentioned outside the bridge crew, not to evoke bad memories as it were. Even though I'm Data or even 'Mr Soong' suddenly with a perfect set of Data's own character, not even Mr Data only anymore, or Cmdr Data," he near sneers there suddenly with a pestered headshake.

"Well at least they don't refer to me as 'the android' anymore and all think my purple eyes are just galactic, but Lore is officially my spare parts with Bellfort the declared 'unit', who are utterly forgotten by now. So both are dead, just like Data and 'B-4', all of us really," he retorts bitterly. "Yet I am here, they all are here, and have to be Data."

Troi watching his rather cold and mocking recitation, she merely leans back herself now to sit level with him, nonetheless eager to hear more, and so asks carefully not really knowing Lore or even this new character evolving at any rate.

"And you feel, betrayed by that?"

Lore sighing the sigh of oh you know, he shakes his head at her with a sneering glance, and retorts rather sarcastically touched suddenly, again as the old Lore as soon as need be, or can be.

"Well what do you think Deanna? Of course I feel betrayed again and again and again!" he sounds up most discontented. "It was a great mistake to stay aboard and I hate this ship to be honest, this whole 'planet Iceman Hell mission' and that my lovely rose Arika is terribly ill most of all. You wanted it bluntly there it is, I hate it here," he admits most candidly to her clear surprise. "Yet I have to stay and endure Picard's attacks because he loves her too – don't think I never noticed it before, and that it's the real reason why he behaves like a senile anger mismanagement powerhouse," comes his keenly observed revelation Troi finds more than remarkable.

"He provokes me to either leave or see us both go, so he won't have us around for not having her, yet needs us both for many reasons, or Data rather he wanted back over my own life, as he never had any real interest in me from the start and you know it," comes another bitter remark. "I don't even blame him for having done it at all costs, my costs, or for loving her, but he's not getting the point that she doesn't want him, and now makes it insufferable for us because it's intolerable for him as simple as that. I love my own flamboyant flair for the theatrical, but this is unacceptable," he states with an amused side-glance at her.

Troi fairly surprised now, not only about his astute observations as such, but rather harsh statement and very unusual mix of mockery and serious undertones, she however sees his point for sure besides. Now donning her full counsellor's cloak no less trying sincerely to help him, after their last personal most negative encounter, seeing that he might be Lore, but without the cruel menace in his once so terribly corrupted mind, she remembers poor Data's extreme change as to his own mad ideas imposed on him then.

"Would you really just leave Lore?" she asks genuinely interested now.

Smiling at her kind try to call him by his own name as it were, he shrugs his shoulders and replies fairly convinced, and ever more slightly derivatively touched.

"Sure," follows his terse reply. "If he doesn't stop mucking about, or I will simply have to relieve him of duty until he had his head examined, I'm the first in command after him now, and Will's position doesn't outrank me. And then I can play captain myself for a while until he comes to his senses, or perhaps threatening him with it alone would sort him out fast," he mocks up with a tell-tale smile not really to mean it, but just might do so.

Troi not quite sure how to take his rather 'Loresque' demeanour there suddenly she is not used to in general, she nonetheless can see that it seems to be a more psychological charade, to cover up his true hurting and grieving feelings. Apart from equal inner turmoil and resentful notions, and so she just waits for him to continue as he looks away, as if to ponder about something else.

"Picard never gave Data one lousy promotion, despite the fact that there were two very serious official captaincy offers one of many years ago already, and don't think I don't know that either," he suddenly drops to her utter dismay. "Data never did, but I found the entries in the Captain's personal logs that were uploaded to complete my new 'me', and that he deliberately withheld them, never told him, never even gave him the chance to refuse he would have no doubt. I don't really care what you will be doing with that Intel, ask or tell him as friend as counsellor or neither don't care, or if any of you ever knew of this outrage," he adds rather resentfully intoned to her silent shock never having known about that for herself.

"Perhaps he even wanted me to find them, unable to tell me or Data straight to his-um-my face, and I'm not going to say what they were, that's up to Picard," he passes the bucket of responsibility indeed knowing what he knows. "But if he doesn't stop this unbearable nonsense to tear us apart, I will simply leave Deanna – with Arika ill or dying or even dead, and after me the space deluge," come his sharp and final words to that her very own question.

Before she can reply anything to that, the monitor starts beeping up, signalling that the other party could not be reached as a direct linkup, and should be tried again later, or to leave a message to be delivered when linkup resumes. Lore now absolutely devastated as he closes his eyes in visible hurt, he cannot believe he is failed to get to see his own father now face to face, when he needs him most, again.

"The connection cannot be established," he mumbles up in leaning forwards. "I will contact Dr Bashir back on DS9, he knows my lovely rose Arika since years now, and he even had met Bellfort before," Lore reiterates checking for any entry related to him. "If he really knows of this surprise, he must be aware of where he is, and can contact him directly. He always wanted to meet him, this is his chance now. He must ask him to come here, I can't wait anymore, I need him here fast," he decides having found a direct contact address for the doctor.

And so he simply punches in some words as a message, with very fast and accurate lines utterly concentrated not even looking at the keypad, to send it off instead even unread, to ask Bashir to get in touch with his very idol, and to bring his father back here along with him on his return.

Lore however still in fair anger and deepest hurt, she watches his every nuance of those emotions creeping across his tense face, and for the left side of his face to start twitching with a nervous tick suddenly. Just like the one she had seen so many years back, when he still looked so much younger out on the prowl to do harm, and Troi remembering this indeed besides, she moves back a bit fairly surprised now.

Not so much for being afraid, despite the fact that she can recall what he had intended, then, trapped inside Graves' madness', and the Crystalline Entity would have had them all for dinner as well, she so bravely takes it as a nervous tick at his obvious extreme stress. Despite the fact that his emotions are very low set, and she cannot feel anything other than his extreme sorrow and deep concern.

Closing his eyes there in putting his left hand to his face, as if to meditate himself into lesser duress, and stop the twitching, Troi there touches slightly for his hand. As he then looks up at her, and she smiles into his very cold and very distant eyes, and not sure what he will do next, she nonetheless shows her ever-ready support.

Lore now contemplating how to react to her for a second, he then merely pats her hand on his once, and says in shaking his head with a genuine smile.

"How sweet you are Deanna," he purrs at her suddenly. "Always the good and kind and supportive heart, just like my lovely rose Arika. Data was very lucky to have had you, when he needed your support, and I messed him up so badly," flow his words of appreciation. "But it all was hardly ever enough Deanna, from neither of you, because Data always had a fair amount of emotions yet never realised they were, because of too many conflicting signals coming from everyone around him concerning them…"

"He was constantly puzzled about them, doubting they were 'real' emotions. The chip he had later, was nothing more than an extension as to the acuteness of his deeper emotions or feelings," he explains further at her most engrossed silence. "His mind existed in a constant tension between mimicking you all and being genuinely creative on his own, emotion or otherwise. Yet you all instantly stifled these brave attempts and good developments, the moment they seem to have actually fruited his relentless endeavours to behave just like you, only thinking him as gone out of his neural net kilter again, never accepting him for what he tried to 'be'!"

Stopping there for a moment not to shout at her, Troi however can concur fully with his so personal delivery, since he of all is the one who alone would know exactly this to be a fact or not, even though she can feel his extremely engaged words to be more of his very own sentiment at this stage, if no doubt the same in essence as to his late brother's most singular personal experiences.

No lesser seeing his ever more than valid points over his previous statement, she so lets him carry on his if rather biting recount on her ever engaged patience.

"He was nothing but a sad and tragic clown to you all to be honest, not like in 'sad' to pity him for his attempts to play at Humanity you did try to further, or 'tragic' in the classic term," he suddenly states to her fair frown not quite understanding his reasoning. "But sad at his bound to be failures at your very own as Humans, rather than just to let him be or do what he thought to be right for **him**," he emphasises inslapping his right hand into the other. "Notfor'you' lot, and tragic in the sense of course that he ended up killing himself for you all," comes his bitter end remark, she however can fully comprehend either way.

"Each time he tried to be like you, it was found a most comical emulation attempt, you never really grasped that it was true emotional progress, and merely saw it as confused attempts to grow at **your** own inconsistent nature, constantly failing in **your** eyes not his own," Lore accuses them now in turn.

"And at the end of the day, he simply gave up asking for help, for fear of renewed rejection perhaps, and became introspective rather than take part much, other than on duty, having surrendered to what he is. And I don't mean 'android', and you simply didn't understand, sorry you didn'**t**," sounds his unwavering sermon over the fickle human nature with a sharply exhaled t at the end.

Pausing there again to let her absorb these rather painful revelations now, she has nothing much to counter his arguments with, at his leaving him the indeed more unsightly side of Data's former life as it must be considered now besides, and so rather lets him enlighten her on some more facets of his brother's past, as he perceives them after the fact.

"In fact you said exactly the same of him, and even in words if I may recall you to your own," he there suddenly brings in to her fair ponder. "After Riker had talked to you about his massive mind trip over his undercover mission some ten years aback, and he took on this demanding stage play 'Frame Of Mind' role of a mental-health patient, and Data played his stern doctor. So on Riker's eventual utter confusion mixing up his true reality with those of the induced hallucinations while in captivity then, and he tried to manage his muddled lines…"

Troi there nodding at him to signal recalling this rather dark episode in very own Riker's life, he so comes to the point, from his own frame of mind.

"Data came to you both after the play to congratulate him on his performance, and 'choice of improvisation to draw the audience into the plight of his character'," he recalls directly to Troi's now own fully remembering that herself. "With his, 'truly realistic interpretation of multi-infarct dementia', even though it wasn't offhand at all. But of course his usual face value approach not realising that, promptly had you state to Riker, that he 'doesn't understand', his real state of mind. Instead of telling him that he had been truly confused, and was under extreme stress. I found that in his records, and Data actually could hear you say that – better hearing and all," he drops casually to her silent abhor she ever said that never having meant it like that at all.

"Even Crusher was impatient with him, when Data said that he should use the human side of irrationality to cope better, after a rehearsal only trying to be helpful to Riker at his obvious struggle to get his lines right," he adds to her silent nodding not having heard her say that. "You simply ignored the fact of his ever linear and mainly logical take on things, and don't ever believe he never noticed any of this either, Deanna," he suddenly reveals to her massive astonishment, since Data had never shown to have of course, but is too evident now he indeed had.

"Or that you never took him serious when he was 'himself', emotions or not. That's why wit wasn't the only human equation that eluded him most of all, which is just as contradictive and illogical as them… apart from never having been programmed with any as not important, simple as that really."

Troi sighing there remembering this most demanding play, which had Riker face another near mental meltdown in his own life, she nods again at him silently agreeing over most of his points, before Lore so directs her to the more obvious facts of his brother's hardly ever completely realised past.

"Oh you took him most serious as an invaluable officer oh yes, for all his imperative skills and greater knowledge and superior powers you relied on heavily each day, and could depend on at that, or else you'd have had it the very first missions already," he reminds her with a satisfied sneer. "Bar with a few direct insults he had to deal with besides in that disgraceful matter we won't need touch on again, and no one is more aware of that than Picard either way, and indeed did his utmost to keep and then retrieve him. And yet you never even gathered that he was actually very lonely since a while now," he states suddenly to her all but most surprised eyes never having gathered that by no means so drastically.

"With none of his kind around no matter he loved being with you all, never could tell his mother she was one of his own, and Lal and I were gone, he was simply a complete outsider who didn't belong with you, and at the end he merely felt your sad and tragic and lonely clown who had no one bar Geordi perhaps to talk to, and he felt only, 'old' and deserted really."

Pausing there as if to ponder his own gravid words over, Troi indeed never guessed Data's so emotional withdrawal at these unnoticed facts was so deep, never able to sense him in the classical term at any rate. Even though having picked up on his the least behavioural distance he had displayed by that of course, despite appearing very subtle even to her, or indeed having formed too gradually.

Nodding at him again to show him at least she had realised it, Lore accepts at that with a hollow sigh, he then tells her something most remarkable.

"He even seriously attempted to restore me of all, so to have someone of his kind," comes his shock revelation. "But he was afraid he couldn't 'fix' me to function properly, without fear that I might go about destroying the ship again, or could find father to try help me perhaps, without disclosing that I hadn't really killed him…"

"He felt there was something seriously wrong with me and would have needed his help, but then there was this high and mighty Starfleet decision not to ever reactivate me, even threatening him to be disassembled himself if he dared, despite no rights over him or myself, what a double insult that was," he scorns them again, with Troi only shaking her head knowing about that utter disgrace of course, either way.

"So he rather stayed on his own than force the controversial matter, or get into another scrape with Picard, as he had already over Lal, he never had touched again either, too saddened she had died away under his very hands," he recalls to her own deep heave never having forgotten the terrible pain she had felt coming to her for help. "And 'B-4' was a disappointment to him, no matter he would have tried his utmost dear to guide him through his own unknown life, but then of course it all ended in his sudden death, before Arika would have arrived to explain and resolve any of these matters, and all he wished for by then, was for you to take care of us."

Troi not at all having anticipated any of his last words by no means, she nonetheless understands his all-round scathing attacks, as it could mean more to the fact of having taken him as amusingly sad and tragic as to, literally 'sad', or indeed no less truly 'tragic' as to his last ever action undeniably.

Sensing his impersonal rejection and all the more multifaceted hurt, not only over that Arika's very unsure state at this point, she certainly can understand his great need to tell her any of this now, and so sighs again in shaking her head slowly, not ever having contemplated some of his statement, but then cuts into his deliberate pause to let her add her own views.

"Is this what you see here Lore? That we thought him a sad and tragic 'clown'?" she returns to as topic. "Oh no Lore not at all, no don't ever believe that no," comes her prompt protest in shaking her head vigorously. "I confess we must have failed him in certain aspects when it came to his emotional endeavours, but we never regarded it as 'comical failures'," she assures him in turn.

"I respected him greatly and so did the crew, no Lore, I agree that there were others who treated him prejudiced for his very nature true, even Starfleet which was never acceptable. But I tried my best to help his emotional or social growth, whenever he approached me directly," Troi defends herself now. "I admit he seemed to have turned more into himself especially the last few years for all you stated, and that he lately did not even ask for direct help anymore over any of these matters."

Pausing there as if to give her words more meaning at her contemplative silence, Lore only nods at her once knowing fair well to be correct in her statement.

"But I had no idea how he felt these days Lore, let alone so lonely to the degree to even contemplate trying to restore you against undoubtedly most unfair orders, and I confess we never even thought of you, and I'm so sorry about that, but at least you were safely stored away," she apologises after the facts he for now ignores. "And as much as I dearly would have wanted to help him, I felt that he seemed to struggle with 'something', his feelings or something deeper, and more or less cancelled himself from his as I took fully gained emotions," she recalls her own thoughts about these issues.

"I truly would have very much wanted to help him a great deal more, with what ever he might have needed to discuss, but he eventually did not even allow me to, and I left it at that," she explains further, he for now can only silently confirm. "I'd truly wanted to support him further, Lore, I'm sure you know, but I had no inkling he had given up on it all it seems, or to wish for only your care. That is very distressing to hear actually now to be honest."

Lore pursing his lips at her no lesser acceptable or even expected defence response, he so lets his or even Data's further discontent views known, which simply must be expressed once and for all towards her as anybody as a close friend.

"Oh well you were already on your way out with Riker for his captaincy, so he tried to distance himself even further, no less having to deal with both your leaving besides, he found sad the least," comes his countermark to her not quite that big a surprise. "I grant you all you said and that you helped and respected him Deanna, and most around him yes. But each time any of you acted differently every now and then, no one took notice of that as part of everyday life, came to you, got your fine support and went on their way. Yet when he did behave outside of his own more impassionate nature, or what you considered his 'norm', it was always misinterpreted," he scolds them again in turn.

"And let me recite you no less now," he continues in pointing at her. "'To be more than the sum of his 'programming'', when he asked your advice over what to do in literal 'relation' to D'Sora whether to get involved with her or not these years back, and you said, that she would care about him for what he was," he recalls to her instantly nodding own recollection. "When exactly **that** very quickly had made her break up with him, even after his so touching attempts at 'playing the lovers game' to please her. She knew exactly he of all, could never be the man for her she had in mind, but just thought oh hey, he can't be hurt let's just give it a try, really Deanna the impudence."

Troi nodding at his short pause there with a deep sigh and saddened smile, merely mumbling back some, "Yes I know, it was most unfortunate and thoughtless of her," remembering this so poignant episode for sure, and that on that particular occasion her good advice turned out a very bleak experience for Data, and that he had never talked about it with her again either. Bar to tell her that D'Sora had broken off their 'relationship', for his 'unemotional' state, she found more than sad for him, despite being incapable to feel the actual hurt he must have gone through.

Lore nodding at her with a snide look meant for D'Sora in that case, he so adds all the more discontented himself now further details as to Data's much abused past for sure.

"Each time he did his best it still was always bound to go wrong, so he basically gave up on it all eventually and withdrew into himself, just as you realised right after his severe Borg ordeal. The only time he ever could actually be himself without any uncertainty or anyone judging him, and entirely take pleasure of his physical and mental freefall, was exactly with her, the Borg Queen of all creatures, while in captivity you all left him to," he scoffs at them again in Data's name.

"So what does that tell you about so called 'Humans' Deanna, hm? Why do you think **I** 'hated' you all and wanted more of our kind, which had nothing to do with Graves' influence, hm? Or rather everything for having done this to me, and then Data on top, unbelievable really," he sneers at the indeed incredible audacity the utterly immoral scientist had displayed.

Not really expecting any answers to his more rhetoric if very biting questions, Troi can gather what he means for sure, and is familiar with Data's detailed experiences while in Borg captivity, as he had talked to her about that just the same. If not in greater 'facets' concerning his more passionate encounter later, but certainly the appalling torture and literal imprisonment aspects, and emotional turmoil he had gone through up to the moment when he faced his own destruction. Which she found more than shocking once realising what had happened to him, while she had been on the planet to help launch the first ever warp rocket utterly oblivious of it all.

And she remembers the merciless clash he had with Picard afterwards over that all the better, and his utterly unacceptable handling of his officer status the least, if not the entire tragic incident. Shaking her head again vaguely, unable to give him anything more encouraging at his perfectly true words, for him to just sigh his empty sigh, he so proceeds with his dissatisfied expressions, only remembering that he 'hated' them all, for too obvious and perfectly understandable reasons.

"Each time **I** was 'emotional' beyond Graves' manipulation, I was abandoned, hunted and shut down, never mind at Data's own once again forced hands as a direct result of my own messy brain finally for good," he continues his own justice league attack. "But, each time **he** was emotional all you ever thought was that he simply 'malfunctioned' again, whether he was or not or whatever he did or not. Every time when being 'himself' or trying to 'fit in', it always failed at **your **inabilities to cope with **him**, not vice versa," he states in pointing at her on each pointed word as substitute for everyone else. "**You** fell short to take him as he was, just because he was not made of flesh and blood, simple as that Deanna."

"You all expected him to be like you, and when he was, merely thought he doesn't understand or was defective, even when he did or was his reserved normal self. It was **you **whofailed to comprehend **him,** just as much as he was puzzled about your 'irrational' behaviour," follows another valid accusation. "When D'Sora was forced to apologise on our little New Year's do on my Arika's well-timed cue about her behaviour then, I was so very 'short' with her that she nearly cried. Guess why, hm? To make her realise after all these years what she had done to him and feel his pain in turn, and was purely my own sentiment so Data finally could tell her off 'himself'."

Pausing there for another moment again, it seems Data is coming through all the more even if not spoken as himself, at Lore's ever devoted attempts to make them see what they had done to him most of all, even if committed more in indifferent misperception rather than malicious intent, bemused dismissal, or simply left 'it' at that, rather than accept 'him' the way he was by that fully besides, and merely adds some more eye-opening account.

"He never had a real chance Deanna, and only after his severe experiences with the Borg of all, and harsh words with Picard, he seemed to have mastered it all if by painful force and very fast, outgrowing you all in an instant, and gave his Captain a good wake-up call in the course, you only knew about besides Beverly in more detail, and Picard had told in shame," he recalls with her nodding and in full accord remembering that clearly.

"Yet good Geordi never had that problem to take him for the sum of his literal 'parts', being the only one to know every literal bit and circuitry of his, yet treated him like anyone else a full Human, I wonder why," he ponders with another mocking undertone not really seriously contemplating any answer coming from her.

"I tell you why, because Geordi did the one thing you all missed, he never thought of 'why' he reacted or acted a certain way, but 'that', not ever trying to change the way he was when like or unlike his usual more dispassionate personality," Lore explains further to her fair realisation this to be true. "In contrast to others he simply let him 'be', not the 'matter' concerned, but 'him-self', until he then suddenly just reverted to this emotionless machine again, and shut all his emotions away into safety."

"All he ever wanted was to be like you all, and when he was, got lost in all the mire of **your** own shortcomings in that field, not his own at all," come more words of justified accusations her ever patient way. "He came to master his emotions even better than any of you long ago, up to the very day he killed himself for you all, with them all on full alert just to feel them one last time in all that multifaceted acuteness," he suddenly drops deliberately just so to shock her.

Lore looking at the holoscreen there again, with the readings to fluctuate ever more, as if to let her absorb his final words in all their grim significance, Troi is all the more amazed about what he just has said to her up to now at any rate, and then struck utterly mute over his last shock statement all the more now.

Not only proving his ever so heightened and judicious mind, never really realising what he has just stated either way too shocked about the mere thought alone, that Data had his emotions online when he faced his own ugly demise for them all to see another day, and she just stares at him as if frozen suddenly with an appalled gasp, not only over his so reproaching but utterly horrifying remark.

"You're not serious Lore?" she finally whispers up at his almost amused face over her utter disbelief. "We never knew this how could we – oh my god this is horrible! I was hoping he hadn't, ever since Beverly could finally remove the chip just before the Ba'ku episode. I'm sure you know, but we never expected he-um, 'needed' to do this of all things, oh my god," she gasps up again.

"Especially after our preceding unawareness in places to have failed to nurture his emotional progress, or simply take him for all in all and what he was I admit that unreservedly, as we sometimes had difficulty to understand him, or rather simply failed to let him be himself at times, true. I tried my best to treat him like everyone else, and did my utmost finest for him, but this is terrible Lore," she emphasises to his silent delight to have shocked her now. "May I talk to Data about this please, now perhaps, yes?"

Seeing her genuine interest and deep abhor, Lore only shrugs his shoulders and then nods, closes his eyes shortly and opening them again, and they are of a more tranquil cerulean tinge as to Data's original eye colour, not wanting to revert to the golden and later even more yellow default shade. Looking at her surprised eyes never having seen him do this before, or so easily and fast, she gathers herself quickly at the thought, that this is now the true Data waiting for her to talk to him and not Lore anymore, risen from the literal dead undeniably.

Breathing in deeply to speak with a genuinely touched smile, and great sorrow at his neutral nod to proceed, she then addresses him with even touching his arm in a friendly gesture.

"Data? – Data, is this true, you had all your emotions, online, when you… are you in that state right now Data or?" she asks still a bit confused what to say. "You still seem so composed at this moment, may I ask if you, well, anticipated or even knew, never to return? I felt it was possible you did when you looked at me like the last time, can you tell me, if you don't mind Data, please?"

Data pondering about this for a second, as to tell her or not, after what Lore had already 'confessed' in his place as it were, he then decides to at least enlighten her on that 'matter' himself now, at her sworn state of keeping all their personal talk confidential, even if he would not care about any of these revelations to be known to others.

Nodding at her faintly with a neutral expression, he then replies most deliberately calm and as ever collected, no matter emotionally greatly touched.

"Yes Counsellor, I am in the same emotional state right now. But I can control my feelings to the fullest extend now better than ever before, Arika's most balanced emotion program made that possible and very easy. And yes, I knew not to return at all the given facts that grim day, and when I went over to the _Scimitar_ after I had handed you command it was clear, there were no options left this time. I tried to think of anything other than I had to do, but everything was either rendered ineffective or destroyed after the crash, and if one other alternative had been left, it would have been too late at that to stop Shinzon's weapon."

"I only hours before had completed my last personal log entry, where I expressed all my inner thoughts and wishes for my small family who were not even alive bar poor B-4, hopefully no one would want to take apart. I talked about my good friends who were alive I knew I will never see again and would miss greatly, and hoped that they would miss me not too distressed, as it made me sad beyond all I ever had experienced before either way."

"But I simply had to commit to what I did for all of them to hopefully survive, rather than myself as the one who could resolve the deadly situation, and I did not do it light-heartedly. But I had no other choice, and so decided that at least then, I would want to experience the full range of emerging emotions for one final time. I had left them dormant for a while after my too rapid and painful achievement to master them, or for facing renewed rejection to see them simply be accepted as they evolved, that is true."

Troi not wanting to interrupt his indeed so personal if apparently very 'emotionlessly emotional' state of mind at this very moment, as he is more rationally feeling himself through the all but very delicate subject, Data so proceeds at her being still all the more incredulously touched just gazing at him all spellbound.

On her faint smiling into his ever so peaceful eyes, shaking her head in deep turmoil over his most fateful words, she so lets him continue to hear his very own individual side for once.

"All I can say now is Counsellor, that it must have been no less horrible for me, as I could grasp the gravity of this momentous incident by all means. But since the last few moments as direct sensations are still factually missing, I merely can commit them to memory everything up to that last second I had beamed the Captain back aboard the _Enterprise_, by the restorative ships records and your personal accounts, to fill in all these gaps leading up to that last moment, and are thus 'second hand' only if no doubt true as it had happened."

"So the state of shock that this was it, or the horror to face the end, alone, the sadness or even gladness to leave you all behind, alive, or even the horrid pain to die, all these physical sensations or diverse mental states, simply do not apply as 'lived' now, but 'died'. Or even as constantly renewable responses at my different nature, since I had 'died' several times before, yet without any physical or true emotional trauma. If perhaps in retrospect reflecting over these events, but there was never anything other than dreamless sleep before."

"Until I awoke again, even if not so last time in my own shell, as only became aware inside Bellfort again and then within Lore. But this time I even had these new memories of all our past, and the huge gaps of my lost history were suddenly filled with the memories of my family I never could remember, and suddenly even was a completed reborn life. Thus the very essences of all these multifaceted feelings I ever had or those leading up to that my very end then, are now merely left composed of exactly these innumerable puzzle pieces of many memory experiences, one can recall but never be able to reciprocate in all their full substance. Or even relive in psychological or physical forms as a finished picture, as only in spiritually perceived parts of their sheer truths, or indeed when newly experienced once more."

Troi so far with him on his most remarkable journey through his so intimate account, she is even more astounded over his so composed and extremely matter-of-factly train of 'emotional' thought, as he so adds more of his indeed utterly unique side of his most amazing past experiences.

"So in fact, as much as I might have suffered to relive all which had to touch me ever since I left the ship the moment I said goodbye to Geordi, the very modem of my innermost thoughts and every feeling and physical sensation I went through, all the ineffable qualities of each nuance and their significance, are just as dead. Just as I technically still am the very same as a single body, and nothing can ever alter that paradox factum, no matter I have returned unlike any Human ever could at my unlike nature, for which in this case I am very grateful. So it is a very metaphysical state of most intriguing changes to be in, rather than see it as a 'sad or tragic' or even 'lonely', farewell, but merely a most absorbing chapter in my past or even new life."

Troi not quite able to grasp this most bizarre situation fully for sure in turn now, for him to be dead and yet not, having been restored by his own 'tragic' brother, and more so felt all these emotions he simply cannot revive as such again now, she finds it hard to comprehend his indeed most fantastic experience. Yet recognises the very odyssey behind it all, and this to be the all the more so human inability to literally recall old memories at their passed realities, until the next time only when reliving them.

"I do not linger on these lost emotions, or even the very thoughts over them Counsellor. They all are of pure cold recollections now only, as I have lived and I had died them, which cannot ever be changed. I accept them for what they were or are, but they are of no concern to me anymore. The potency for my regained memories to 'crush the lily of my inner soul' has vanished by that, in terms of great fear or overwhelming grief to have seen my life ending suddenly at my own decisive hands. Or the deep sorrow that I was forced to leave you all behind mourning over my passing, yet were alive to do so, I no doubt must have lingered on."

"Or that I never can achieve other goals in life I had wanted to contemplate, or see what might become of my brothers or indeed father. Or the gratitude that it was the Captain to leave me to certain death as the last one with me, in hope I will be kept alive in your good memories of myself. And I remembered what Tasha had said to us on her holograph farewell, that, 'death is that stage in which we only exist in the memory of others, which is why it is not an end', and I ardently hoped to be remembered just like her, and that my death meant something to you all."

"I had faced such thoughts once during my Borg captivity, which had filled me with the same dread, anguish and fears and rage and tears, and eventually fatalistic surrender in the face of my certain destruction I could not alter. Until I had called on the Captain on that occasion to help end the unbearable prospect to die horribly and most of all alone, when my survival instincts had gained the better of me suddenly, and I simply needed to finish this unholy situation by means of an external factor. Unlike during any other prospect of death I might have faced prior or experienced without emotions, which did not touch me then."

"Not so the last time, when I was on my own once more during these last ten seconds, facing that one moment of physical suffering the instant I was obliterated. Or the dread to face it at my knowledge what it would do to my mere shell, and mercifully short interval of great anguish to feel myself die. Or even the immense anger that I was forced to do it, while my final thoughts must have lingered on everyone of you as compensation not to despair."

Having touched on this unexpected reference point of the Borg again, Troi realises that not only his grim captivity then, must have turned him inside out more that he actually had even let them come to believe afterwards already, but indeed was very much the same situation on the _Scimitar_, while facing his certain destruction in the face of most unfavourable odds. No matter even at his decisive hands and forced to see himself killed, for the unwise stunt of the Captain wanting to eliminate Shinzon himself, and in sure knowledge that this time there would be no way to restore him ever again.

Nodding at his quite gaze into her so touched and deeply sentimental eyes, feeling for him as ever greatly, she is deeply touched about his last words. She indeed takes face value at once at his great regard for them all, no matter how many times they might have slipped with their support for him during his so short a most remarkable lifetime.

"But all these complex sensations and intense emotions of then or only days ago, none of them make much difference to me now anymore. Bar that I had all my feelings under full control to test myself to be able to handle them again, at my great will to see you all survive. Or that I might even have hoped to come alive again within my brother, unwittingly so at my endeavour to see him progress with my own literal input."

"But I cannot remember any of these sentiments or thoughts as 'real' now, only as a most remarkable and no less tragic if exhilarating or even positive account of my very last and undoubtedly selfless moments. So told by my good friends and their personal logs and the ship's relevant records, all the 'data' to complete my last hours."

"I feel very much as it were, when I had been reactivated on Omicron Theta after I was left there, and all I remembered was other colonists' individual accounts, even if they were not about myself personally to such extent, bar a few general entries or even about Lore all the more. Now these accounts are concerning myself exclusively. But all the 'feelings' the contexts of my sentiments are very similar as to then, and does not fill me with Angst as then, realising I was only a sophisticated machine, yet believed myself a person at my belief to be greater than a collection of circuits and someone's programmed creation."

Sending him a smile at his still so utterly composed delivery, and obviously having come to terms with any of these ever so complex psychological and metaphysical matters indeed, she hears more of his amazing thoughts.

"The sorrow over the loss that I 'technically' still miss these vital last minutes, or to have truly died in mortal body if not immortal soul this time, does not affect me like that anymore. On the contrary, by that I can close that most fateful episode of my restored life as a true man, a true Human no matter of purely cybernetic nature. I do not even recognise the difference anymore, as only the fact that I can look ahead along with you all, my brothers and child and my sister or even wife I never knew, without the emotional burden of having died a machine. For I was reborn a man, in unshaken belief I have been that all my life just like then, and that I had sacrificed it to save your very own by that, just as it has resurrected mine in turn. I am at peace Counsellor."

Understanding his last reasoning all the more now, Troi is only stunned about his so positive and resilient dealing with his utterly unprecedented experiences either way, and finds it more than remarkable, and how matured and strong he really is, or 'was'. Or that he never wavered from the belief to have been a man all his life, a true Human indeed.

But before she can even reply anything to his ever placid smile at her content nodding and touch to his hand to signal her full understanding and ever sympathy, he acknowledges with a kind smile having watched the holoscreen with the Professor's deteriorating state of affairs, he abruptly just adds with a most concerned face instantly going back to his all the more emotional and hard feeling Lore state, including bringing his purple eyes and completely different demeanour back in a second.

"The flatlines are increasing too much," he states deeply concerned. "She's very ill I can feel it, it takes too long already, I'm going to sickbay, I can't stay here excuse me Deanna."

Getting up there, he wants to pass her resolutely, but she gets up herself and holds him back by his arm, wanting to say something to support his again now apparent grieving feelings over his beloved wife. But he shakes his head at her, and even brushes back a lock from her black hair with a smile, a very tender and sensual smile as it were, and Troi simply is all the more surprised now, as she never had seen either Lore to look at her, nor Data, or anyone else before like that, except his lovely rose Arika, and can sense definite attraction suddenly, which perplexes her all the more now.

Not sure what to do for the moment, after his before so horrible and then all the more revelatory words, and her so intimate talk with Data, or even who had just behaved more like a lover towards her than a friend, ever charismatic Lore, or even reawakened indeed still 'dead' Data having seemingly retreated suddenly again, if probably not just as loving Bellfort, she there simply lets go of his arm oddly touched suddenly, so he can turn to leave with a very meaningful smile, and her behind utterly confused now as he hurries away quickly.

Yet then she follows him after a minute of frowning contemplation, for both to reach sickbay separately, and so entering the intensive care unit, where she finds him sitting on the bed, he is holding Soong in his very arms again. So watching him in growing unease as a tear comes flowing from his suddenly utterly deadened eye, Crusher is still there in her surgery kit Ogawa is removing quietly, with both merely gazing at him in silent misery.

Only there suddenly realising what is happening here, as she can feel their utter devastation, and seeing that all monitoring systems are on standby only, she slowly steps beside him feeling utter dread slowly engulfing him. Only to find no less Wesley suddenly all into himself hunched in a corner, who is unable to even look at the miserable scene, having been there all along.

With Soong bearing a surgical head bandage, she so slowly gazes at her Lore lost in a deep trance trying to smile into his agonised eyes, and wants to touch for his deeply grieving face. Yet way too exhausted and weak herself to even raise her arm, he takes her hand for her to feel him, and she whispers into his ear so close with a last ounce of strength left, as he holds her as close as can be without hurting her, and a tear comes rolling from her own agonised eyes, knowing.

"I, care to think, that if my love should be, so privileged as to linger within yours, I shall not pass from you entirely, upon my final heartbeat, when all breaths are drunk… so take this kiss upon the brow, and in parting from you now, thus much let me avow, you are not wrong, to deem that my days, have been a dream within a dream, with you, all… do not, grieve, for me, my, beautiful immortals, I, love you all…"

Lore starting to cry silently unable to even set his emotions to nothing left, or indeed utterly unwilling to, he is not ever wanting to face another death of a treasured one without. Just as poor Bellfort sees his beloved wife die right there in his very arms besides, or as Data does or had to watch, when his Tasha suddenly was taken from him. Or even his only child Lal, feeling her passing away from right under his hands before as well, and he even remembers his very last glimpse into the knowing eyes of the exceptional Borg Queen he was forced to destroy, and had indeed brought him so very close to full Humanity then.

Having been all unable to even show her then, as all of them, the different kinds of love he did feel for either of them, he even can include his very own death now. Yet indeed is the only one he needs not mourn. Enabled now to do just that, he can feel her slipping from his own resurrected life just the same by each tormented breath.

"We love you too, our lovely rose Arika…" he whispers back at her at her trembling lips with a most loving if terribly tortured smile.

Tenderly running his trembling fingers thought her faded hair, to lay his own quivering lips on hers so deathly pale, she tries hard to smile her last faint smile into his ever more anguished eyes, and kisses her passionately with a most sorrowful sigh, just before she suddenly falls all limp, and her eyes slowly close unto his utterly aghast gaze.

Wesley and Troi gasping up in absolute disbelief, Crusher and Ogawa look at each other in total if expected shock, while neither of the brothers can grasp for her to have gone like that. Yet Lore is feeling she has left him indeed, and presses her succumbed body over his chest, in total dismay.

Utterly shocked now, Wesley and Troi cannot believe what they just witnessed, and she starts to shake there like Soong had before she collapsed, and then breaks down in tears, as Crusher steps by her side to take her into her arms. Only to see Lore there howling into the totality of his unbearable grief utterly devastated, just as she was over Bellfort's sudden passing, as B-4 was over Data, as Data and Bellfort are over her now, after all their treasured others before – And utterly devastated Lore loses himself over her expired body finally, completely destroyed in an instant himself now.

Wesley there getting up suddenly in utter desolation, he simply runs off unable to cope with his so admired Professor, to have just died away in Lore's totally distraught embrace, just as Picard and Riker come in with La Forge. Both seeing and hearing Lore, just like Picard had witnessed B-4 to collapse over his brother's passing, and Troi crying like a child in Crusher's embrace having lost her very soulmate, they are left simply stunned into instant mournful disbelief themselves now.

All realising that Soong must have died only this very second, and with an utterly hysterical Wesley dashing into their sight all crying like a little boy, La Forge no lesser shocked but instantly hurries after him outside.

A distraught Crusher there slowly shaking her head at a stunned Riker and utterly appalled Picard left all visibly shocked as they only stare at them both with an aghast gasp, Riker there goes over to them to receive his utterly hysterical wife. Just like he had after Data's death was all too terribly clear, and takes her into his arms again.

Crusher slowly moving them all on to leave them both alone, grabbing for Picard's arm to lead him away, they so slowly depart the ward, where absolutely nothing can be uttered anymore. And all that can be heard, is Lore's finally failing voice processor rapidly fading into an oscillating hum of utter, chilling dismay, no Human will ever hear again.

27


	7. Chapter 31 The Wounded

The Wounded----------------------------------------------------------

The aborted mission in jeopardy, the completely shut down _Titan_ floating inside the magical purple DeMoy Nebula, with the invisible_ Enterprise_ now even farther away from it all if still abeam, she lies in direct line of view of the apparently deserted ship. As both lay utterly quiet not even breathing anyone with her warp engines down, all lights are on half power to feed the cloak draining so much power to stay online, so the shields are down besides, and the armoury is set ready only. Just as the array is left on standby, the bridge lies utterly deserted put on automated self-diagnostic, and with the viewscreen still activated and showing the planet Iceman Hell, it is mocking its own existence.

Yet in some dim corridor right outside Data's cyberlab, a dramatic scene of lesser tranquillity is taking place, as everyone of the core bridge crew is gathered there in two groups, looking most serious if not even concerned beyond belief. All staring at Lore as it were having posted himself by the doors of the special facility, he stands in utter defiance to enter it against the order of Picard, who is trying to persuade him not to force the no doubt tragic situation, as to Lore's sternest intent to see his deceased wife all but restored back to any life.

Lore utterly out of his sane mind at that point over her tragic loss he simply will not accept, he has brought her placed on a wide hover trolley, along with another slim body both so lying side by side, and are covered fully by a black sheet reaching down to the floor. With Picard addressing him to speak to him quietly as of yet, he tries to come closer while everyone else is on intense tenterhooks watching them both. The crew so standing to each side of the wide corridor, there are a very pale Wesley and his very concerned mother clasping his shoulders standing behind him, a most concerned La Forge to one end, and no lesser anxious Riker along with a deeply troubled Troi and concerned Worf to the other, and neither look too happy to be sure.

"Please Lore," Picard addresses him carefully. "You cannot bring her back like that please, we all understand your terrible grief but please, listen to me, please," he pleads with him with raised hands of friendship. "She's gone Lore, just like poor Lal and good Bellfort, or even Data, please Lore, Data please, I beg you…"

Before he can utter another word however, Lore simply hisses back at him in stepping one pace into his way with a loud, "No back off!" forcing him to pull back looking like a grim reaper suddenly. With the sheer grief having been replaced by hurting fury, and his purple irises flashing like electrified space inside his utterly distraught eyes, they are ready to spew lethal fire upon anyone who dares to come closer.

Picard so stepping back if not returning to one group, with his hands held up in defence to signal defeat for now, he merely whispers once more, to stop this, but Lore only shouts back at him over what he intends to do in now all the more tormented anger.

"No Captain no!" a too aggrieved Lore yells at him in outright defiance. "Don't even dare attempt to oppose me 'Sir'! I'm going in there and will restore her over my own life or that of Data's own child if need be! – No one steps any closer or I will kill myself I swear I will, and **then** it's only over for good! And **all** the 'Sons of Soong' are finally gone!!" he hollers at him in leaning into his face.

Picard seeing no weapons on him however, he simply takes it as a threat if a no doubt most serious one. Nodding at Worf to do his duty to confine him, even though not really seeing him to be able to subdue an even more desperate, already excessively powerful android like him to begin with, he yet has no other choice but to stop him short of using more drastic means to subdue him.

Worf so intrepidly stepping forwards situated behind Lore now, he yet indeed cannot address him directly, and with Lore having seen Picard put out his order, so merely turns back to him, knowing, unless he literally speaks to him first, Worf cannot even talk to him with Data being his superior first of all. Let alone touch and arrest or even contemplate to see him removed in a any form, at this his most peculiar of turns code of honour oath as it were, which suddenly prevents him from any of it at this stage.

Lore indeed not moving a circuitry as to enable him, suddenly looking all that coldly composed again, and fairly pleased about his so singular dedication to him, even if purely for Data's sake over his very sacrifice he no less can appreciate, Picard only there gathers the most unwelcome idea at everyone's frowning surprise. Realising this suddenly as well, obviously having been briefed on this bizarre matter of Worf's most complex honour code, merely looking at each other more or less delighted as it were, Picard so orders him to bring him to safety if not into custody.

But Worf only shakes his head and replies most seriously, at everyone's impressed gaze.

"No Sir, I am sorry Sir I cannot," comes his equal refusal to restrain him. "At your own understanding that I may keep to my code of honour to the Commander – not as long as he addresses me first and then I will perform my duty, respectfully, Sir."

With the situation having turned into a most bizarre standoff suddenly, with two of his officers on a mutiny bound stance, everybody is more than amazed now. Picard shaking his head with an even deeper sigh nearly not believing his ears suddenly, and knowing no one else could even try to attempt to stop 'Lore', he so looks at Riker for help, who suddenly just throws up his hands in shaking his head just as adamantly. Not even thinking of stopping him, he knows only too fair well if so, he would undoubtedly pull the shortest straw of his career for possibly even dead sure, Troi passively supports in even pulling him back stealthily.

With Picard thinking that the next logical response would be trying to dissuade his most reluctant security chief, he so says in hope this to be resolved by his following approach.

"But this is bereft Lore speaking, Worf," he replies in pointing at a silent Lore with his left palm. "Not Data at this very moment exclusively, so your honour code does not apply to 'him' surely?"

Worf only shaking his head again at his clever try to turn the bizarre idea around, he so replies no lesser steadfast.

"No Sir, it is of no difference," comes another all-round silently welcome rebuff. "This being the voice of Lore's grief inside his very own original body by name, or his brother Data's, my very friend's and FO. No, the Commander is just as alive and grieving within him, as is no doubt her very husband, and thus still my honour code applies to 'him', 'either ways', I'm sorry Sir."

Picard in a spot of trouble now it seems, for once again having shown his sole Klingon officer even more leniency as to his own cultural needs, the deceased even had pointed him to most forcefully so frequently and to have granted him just too often that freedom to indulge in it, he pays for it now big time. Even if to the for once advantage of his most unique officer of merely a culture of one now even more so, with Lore the only Soong brother left as it were. Even if all the brothers are now literally inhabiting his one body with even the Professor's very own mind present, or even his daughter's and both their late stepmother's, Picard finds it almost amusing suddenly.

And not at all unfitting as to the odd justice to it all unexpectedly now, for Worf of all suddenly to be that kind of passive honour guardian of Data's. If it were not so serious otherwise, with now two officers obviously unwilling, or most likely utterly unable to prevent Lore from his desperate attempt, not even thinking of anyone else to be able to, let alone ready it seems, unless brute force would be applied, he but of course simply does not want to even contemplate.

Sighing there thinking of his next step, he then asks him something else just come to his no lesser alert mind.

"Tell me Worf, if Data or Lore 'either way', were in a similar situation and in danger to get killed 'again' or seriously harmed, and needed your help, and you're the only one there able to assist him, but cannot even talk let alone touch to secure him to safety," he so states his clever hypothetical question. "How on Earth you're going not only to perform your duty in general, but see to his safety by that, hm? You cannot let him just perish for this, even if notable honour code of yours, hm?"

With all seeing the keen logic as to his indeed smart words, and his sudden turning the card against either there in turn it seems, they all just wait for Worf to react to that very rational statement, and with Lore to frown at his intelligent effort, no less thinking it a most undesirable fact if it were that way for sure, Worf however replies something most unexpected, which turns his clever cards down at once in a renewed twist.

"No Sir I cannot and I would not," he sounds back resolutely shaking his head again. "In that case my honour code is suspended, as otherwise my honouring him would be a fatal honour. In any such event, the Commander does not need require me to wait for his first move in any form for me to aid him, at my sworn duty to protect him, but it cannot be applied otherwise."

Lore or Data fairly happy about that for certain, along with everyone else at that smiling at each other, Picard however is quick to pick up on that safety logic, even having hoped he would say exactly that, either way. So nodding to himself almost more amused now, looking at him straight and with a quick glance at Lore's composed eyes cautiously fixed on him anticipating another bright move, Picard promptly acts out his next words to everyone's greatest surprise.

"So where do you draw the line then to actually 'apply' your code or not, hm? Let's just test that shall we, and see what you'll do **now**!"

By that he suddenly just lunges at Lore as if trying to go for his throat, in a bewildering attempt to apparently strangle him, just as he had attacked Data right after the disastrous Borg incident clash, for his merciless exposure of both their unresolved emotional issues then, with a most seriously loud hiss too, as if he really means it again. Everyone just gasping up utterly stumped now, and with Lore certainly being on high alert, he but instantly reacts to it with a most precise defence manoeuvre.

Right as Picard snatches for his neck with both hands, and rapidly flips his arms apart and simply pushes him back hard with his left hand, not wanting to seize his wrists as Data had then, or knock him out as Lore once had Worf, or even while been possessed once having seized Picard by the throat.

Picard so falling back against Worf at his catching him, most surprised the Captain even had done that, not quite getting the aggressive idea as to his strange attack on him, and with everyone catching themselves just as fast not seeing the point either, Picard just laughs up suddenly pulling straight his uniform only, and looks right at his puzzled security chief in great delight.

"Congratulations Worf you just failed your so honoured FO **and **duty-bound Captain!" he triumphs. "You're powerless to choose between the respect to your FO and your commanding officer only Worf! It simply is impossible to coalesce the code with both our protection, and I hereby revoke my permission to stand by your code on duty at the sheer incompatibility, as to your first obligation to see to both our safety equally Worf, and order you to confine him, **now**!" Picard demands loudly.

With all fairly taken aback now, they are no less getting the bizarre idea behind his most hands-on demonstration, and to simply remove his code from the more complicating equation that way. Just so to show them all, what both their honour obligation and allowance has just cost them, had that been a real attack by either on either, for whichever reason is not even of any importance, or by anyone else on either or both, which might prove fatal to either of them indeed.

Worf so merely looking at Lore as if to apologise, not actually wanting to resort to his former statement to Soong that he would need to leave otherwise, if his code were to be revoked, so he just looks at a passive Data the same, who only keeps stumm at no avail anymore to change things as it stands.

Indeed knowing of their conversation, and that he is apparently not trying to get his honour code back it seems, despite the fact that it is illogical to his own perception as to Picard's strange show, since the Captain would still be his first duty to see to. So before Worf can even step towards him, Data so raises his voice in shaking his head at Picard, who is thinking he just has overthrown them both.

"I'm sorry Captain but that was an illogical move, apart from the fact that I can defend myself better than anyone else, as I just have demonstrated," he counters him head on. "Worf's first duty would still always lie with you in any case, not myself. Unless I am in your position, or you seriously tried to do me harm at no reason, which is highly unlikely either by cause or effect. He simply did not need to aid me just now, and if anyone else would try to at my possible incapacitation, he just has declared his honour code would be of null consequence and perfectly able to facilitate my safety," his again pristinely voiced FO reminds him coolly.

"So your forced demonstration was of no empiric prominence in any form, except that now I will fight him were he to try to impede my no less serious intentions, Sir," he adds to everyone's silent horror returned. "Honour code or not I do respect, but it will not obstruct me from trying to accomplish my intent by any means – So in fact, it is of even less favourable corollary at this very moment suddenly, at your having invalidated his code of honour unexpectedly, as I no doubt could cause him more seriously harm than he myself, Sir."

With everybody seeing his even more logical conclusion at once, even Picard was hoping he would have reacted that way on a not slim chance at that having counted on his foremost logical mindset. So sighing again deeply getting fairly tired of this renewed drama now, he then comes very close to him at no resistance if cautious alarm, and says very softly and seriously sharp, at everyone's most attentive listening.

"That is correct Data very well detected," he compliments him with an amused undertone. "But I'm the Captain and can order him to do anything within regulations at my given powers, unless he resigns, and that demonstration was within both. So you either will take heed of that yourself now and vacate these premises willingly Data, or I will have you confined to your quarters by any force necessary trust me," he warns him calmly. "Arika is sadly gone, and you will **not** enter these doors to attempt to change that at utterly incalculable results, Commander!"

Lore in no mood to give in however, not over his own life ever or Data's, he so slowly comes even closer now, at everybody's involuntary coming forwards a step as well to hear him better. So looking him straight into his equally cold eyes, now both at literal loggerheads again, and purple eye to brown eye, as it turns once more most peculiar, he then nearly whispers back to his no less surprise even more seriously.

"Then witness me die in addition 'again'! I mean it Captain!" comes his surprise counter attack to everyone's instant horror gasping up and moving back again as one.

Before he or anyone else thus can do or say anything more, as to his no doubt solemn words for sure, Lore rapidly snatches for the black sheet, flips it up to grab under it with his left, and produces one of the vicious new biophasers. Instantly holding it to his own temple in a most serious attempt to make true his still just as desperate threat, everyone just steps back even further in a united wave of more aghast gasping.

Picard raising his hands instantly greatly stunned in falling back as well, he can see his too odd tactics have failed big time, yet suddenly looks at Worf and says instantly as he merely is just as shocked.

"So what you're going to do in such an incident then Worf, hm!?" he shouts at him now. "Your FO attempting to commit suicide included in your 'honour code' Worf, hm!? He's clearly in danger now! So trying to secure him, is not possible now is it, hm!?" he mocks him in addition in leaning into his face and sticking his finger into it in addition. "Ah got you both now! Or you can just simply resign right now Worf!" follows his stark warning. "Lore stop this I beg you!" Picard addresses him in turn again with a pleading frown. "I cannot permit you to try this madness! Data please listen to me! This has to end now, please!"

Before he can actually mutter anything back utterly determined to make real his deadly warning, even seemingly to press down on the trigger, at everyone's utterly horror-struck eyes, and even united intention to lunge for him just the same to stop him, Wesley of all suddenly just as horrified but steps into the opened field of this futile and ever more dangerous word battle, and dives in between them both in facing Picard.

Lore so instantly falling back at that unexpected turn lowering his weapon immediately, Wesley directly hollers at his Captain to make clear what he really thinks, at everyone else's tense thoughts of just the same sentiments.

"Why should he stop with all due respect, Sir!?" Wesley yells at him straight on. "You can't know if he will fail! He's a brilliant Soong who was created by a brilliant Soong, who can recreate another one no doubt! He created Lal who did not die for **his **failure, so why should he stop, 'Sir'!?

With his mother there stepping in calling softly for him to desist, Wesley only shakes his head at her and replies all the more defiantly now, at everyone else's equally supportive faces, even Riker's, who had more or less taken responsibility for Wesley's officer development before already.

"No mom no, please let me talk!" he defies her as well in pulling away from her. "Why is it that Lore after all this, or Data no difference always has to be 'confined to his quarters', or stop him from this or that when it comes to **his** rights or desires, hm!?" he continues hollering into Picard's yet calm face. "Worf could get his commendable if obviously not perfect 'honour code', always granting him his 'Klingon culture', but Data not even his one tragic wish to even try to revive her now!?" he continues with very angry eyes blazing into Picard's not too pleased own. "Just like I was consistently told to shut up or what not to do! What would it cost **any **of us if we let him, hm!? He has a perfect right to try anything to bring her back, 'Sir'!"

"Lore was right you know, Data always pulled the shorter straw no matter what he did, not even because of his emotional issues no," he suddenly mocks him much calmer again. "They were yours too, and now again even with Lore's and Bellfort's mind inside this one 'Soong' body left, why!? He even would kill himself for god's sake Captain! After he saved us all dozens of times and died already!? And then you still treat him like that, have you no heart!?" Wesley accuses him now more personally at no one's stopping him.

"Ah no sorry Sir, no you haven't, after what you did to him during his unbelievable Borg captivity no, and never really listened to him afterwards neither, no sorry no 'real' heart either!" comes his mocking refrain. "And Lore has suffered greatly in his so short life too! Just because **you **desired her as well, and she's now dead, and **I** want her restored just the same, you cannot face **him** still wanting her at least trying to bring her back, and no doubt everyone else! Just because **you** can't have her **still **in case he even succeeds!!"

Everyone stumped into the very ground now, at his so direct and very brave stance of defending Data and even Lore suddenly so vigorously, staring at him most impressed if not shocked over his brazen dare, they all but keep passive as even his mother sees the inevitable truth in his ever so passionate words, with no one even daring to breathe as it were, unsure as to their beleaguered Captain's reaction now.

Picard staring back at him knowing of his usually fiercer tactics of addressing him, ever since he was a young ensign, reminding him of Data's very own clash with him right after that Borg drama, at this moment it is so deathly quiet that one could even hear a needle drop on the carpeted floor. Lore right behind Wesley there stepping closer in putting his hand on his shoulder, he then addresses him quietly at his turning around to look into his stern face, having given up on the entire painful situation suddenly altogether.

"Wesley move away please," Data asks him softly. "I'm very grateful for your stepping in like this, but please, I cannot permit you to lose your position over my selfish wants…"

Picard there shaking his head no lesser very sorry he has to be so unreasonable, at his sincere attempt to quieten Wesley out of the ever more complex growing picture, Wesley steps next to the Captain and shouts at Lore or Data now with a discontented and most disappointed look, pointing at a mute Picard who is having nearly enough of this renewed drama.

"Why Data!? Why you're not selfish **he** is! First he wanted you back so badly and now won't even allow you this one wish, don't give in **now**,** Data**!?"

Lore or Data either way not replying anything seeing Picard put his hand to Wesley's shoulder, who winds himself off his soft clasp with an indignant hiss, and with his resolute mother there grabbing him gently by the sleeve to pull him away quietly, to join an utterly mute La Forge, Picard then says in shaking his disillusioned head, at everyone's most serious faces.

"I can see this isn't to be resolved in an agreeable way after all," comes his lamenting reaction. "I don't want you to try this Lore, please! If it fails you'll be an even greater mess, and I need you clear-headed for this confounded mission now, please Lore! Data, please let it rest! Let her rest please I beg you! Data be reasonable, please leave her be!" he begs him again most forcefully in even wringing his hands at him.

Lore only sneering back at him, he simply defies him outright at whatever consequences now, by activating the hover trolley to move along the wall, and keys in some code on the door panel for his cyberlab entry to open, and then simply follows the black mortuary table to slowly move inside, at everyone's sheer disbelief.

Yet no one would ever dare intervene, knowing far too well, once a powerful Soong has made up their most determined mind, nothing and no one bar death, can ever prevent them from anything, and do not even want to at his too eminently powerful physical strength besides. Especially after his last so calm and so deadly words, worth an utterly determined Lore, knowing too well by now, he would kill any of them without a second thought, if even thinking of trying to stop him.

"I'm sorry Sir, Wesley is right," Lore mocks him calmly with a very disdainful expression. "If I were to succeed you still cannot possess her love, and now necessitate me to let her rest for that, as it seems you truly have no heart after all she talked and we both spoke about, to even grant me or Data or even Bellfort this one little favour indeed. Let alone Lore, after what I told you about him in confidence. If that's your payback now for my 'indiscretions', so be it," he states most disenchanted suddenly, with only Picard knowing exactly what he means.

"It's true, whenever it comes to something so close to 'my' heart, you simply choose to ignore my perfectly 'reasonable' requests, ignored my rights the same, and every single time I pleaded for help, you simply forced and even ordered me to back down. Just like Lore had said while I was under his 'emotional' control," come Data's own words of deepest resentment finally freed in addition. "No more, it's over. Try to stop me again and you're dead. By Lore's hands he could not commit on you all these years back as 'The One', but I will carry out as either brother now, even as Bellfort trust me, 'Sir'," Data warns him coldly in sincerest intent to make true his lethal words.

As the doors close again behind him on his coldest and meanest ever look back at his now utterly resigned Captain, and no one even raises a lash, Picard sighs again gazing after him in no lesser a deep sympathy, and is feeling just as rotten in all its meanings for himself, for Lore, for her, for all the Soongs.

Shaking his head unto himself as if to give in, and after a moment of greatest unease settling into everyone's hearts, it is not even over Data's obvious victory they fully welcome, but his threatening words they no doubt can take as literal warning. Or even eventual outcome as to his so vaguely addressed details, of his clear intent to even attempt to revive the Professor. Picard then nearly whispering for all to be dismissed, and on their immediate and completely silent retreat, he just stands there all alone staring at the closed doors again, feeling utterly deserted now.

And exactly how tragic Lore or Data must have many a cruel time, and undoubtedly right now, and can only hope for him to be successful. Even if undeniably he will never be the one for her to be grateful to – in desired body and immortal soul, to show her that he does have a heart. But he also knows, Data or Lore only stated to be so heartless to hurt him back, for his harsh denial to save her for himself, never having intended to deny him anything, bar this one wish. At the too high a terrible chance to go only horribly awry, and not for Picard not to gain her if he might succeed, but to avoid possibly even graver disappointment for Lore, or indeed Data and Bellfort.

Just staring at the doors utterly lost now, he wants to start crying in sheer despair himself now, but Crusher is back suddenly stepping next to him, and seeing him totally devastated, simply takes him into her arms. To his utter relief and finally able to be himself at the incredible distress he has suffered no lesser over the last weeks, and so she slowly leads him away without either needing to ever speak their true hearts. And to be with her instead at her no lesser-desired closeness, he can gain.

9


	8. Chapter 32 Powerplay

Powerplay--------------------------------------------------------------

Worf holding the lonely fort in space for the moment, sitting proudly in the Captain's chair, with no one else around on the still utterly deserted bridge, she is still bleeping away her lonely diagnostic sounds, still only cloaked and on auxiliary operations. Staring out the viewscreen over to the planet Iceman Hell, still glaring back at them, yet seemingly is not there at all, he seems neither happy nor discontent, and obviously still part of the core crew, active code of honour or not.

The _Sutherland _there hailing the ship suddenly, Worf gets up sharply to take the transmission, and with Captain Hobson coming onto the screen then, looking a fair man in his middle ages, blond and handsome, he frowns at the unusually deserted bridge, maybe aware of what had occurred. As Worf so inquires what his business is, he replies in a firm and strict if more than respectful voice, looking over to someone just outside Worf's direct view,

"Drs Bashir and Noonien Soong have arrived Lt Cmdr – ready to beam over on the call of his son, FO Cmdr Data."

Worf even though awaiting his friend and superior's father and very creator indeed, he gets yet all the more flustered suddenly to finally meet him as an again well and restored man, and so instantly says in nodding back at him trying to appear as professionally detached as possible.

"Certainly Sir," Worf nods back. "Please beam them directly onto our bridge at the next frequency modulation sequence window, I will bring them to the Commander myself," he then asks him. "And you are requested to delay your departure until Capt Picard has talked with you on an urgent matter, if you please. Thank you."

Captain Hobson glancing at the invisible guests again, he looks back at Worf, and then nods with a slight smile in his ever rather casual manner.

"Of course – stand by," the Captain replies calmly.

Nodding at his crew then, the two men are beamed over to the other bridge directly and appear right in front of the viewscreen, which there goes all black. Worf going over to them, knowing Bashir of course as his valued old colleague and long-time friend, and with the other man indeed a civilian, he does not sport their now new Starfleet uniform. But rather wears some boot-long elegant silvery-grey coat, matching trouser and silk shirt, with a loosely pony-tailed hairstyle. Worf so looking at him closer, he just cannot believe his black eyes, his most striking a perfect resemblance as to Data or indeed Lore and Bellfort.

As he gazes straight into the face of all the Soong brothers, they appear all perfectly identical to him. Except for Dr Soong's but much more lustrous steel-blue eyes, and rather long silver-white mane, and is looking slightly more tanned, yet utterly alike in features and appears a very handsome man in his end fifties now only. A sibling rather than their own father, visibly all that incredibly rejuvenated again, with only a couple of lines on his forehead, never to even hint at his very long and no doubt greatly demanding life, filled with hard work, even harder failures, and finally even greater successes.

Worf now all the more amazed at the unbelievable fact, that indeed this is, **the** very Dr Arik Soong to-have-become Noonien, a full two hundred and eighty years old by a few days only. He had seen last many years ago already over a hundred years old then, when all had thought he would have died that day they had to retrieve Data from his lab. After Lore had overpowered him and attacked their father, and Data so told them he had passed away, only to conceal the fact that indeed he had not, and now is looking all that younger again which is hard to believe either way.

But then again, there is the ever-mysterious Guinan almost twice his age, not looking more than forty. So in fact in space, nothing like this is special really. Just as Ambassador Spock is one hundred and fifty years old by now, or now retired Admiral McCoy, even three years older than his esteemed Vulcan colleague of Captain Kirk's days.

Bashir smiling at his utter astonishment, he certainly knows that there is something not quite right on the ship laying utterly deserted, and so merely says in pointing the doctor out to him, in his usual friendly manner.

"Dr Soong, this is my friend Lt Cmdr Rozhenko I told you about, whose honour code is to protect your son. Better known as Worf the ship's security chief, of the House of Mogh."

Worf finding it a bit odd to be introduced like that, he nonetheless nods at him proudly, and then extends his hand of sincere welcome, not knowing either, if he is aware of the tragic passing of his no less only, and undoubtedly own genius daughter.

"Welcome Dr Soong," he greets him. "Julian nice to see you return, I will bring you to Captain Picard first if you don't mind, he wants to meet you before you may see your son, please follow me Sir."

Dr Soong nodding at him in shaking his hand, with a very serious if friendly face, he is a rather commanding figure, and replies as Worf can gather that he obviously knows, and so shows them to the closest turbolift, with all the respectful courtesy he can muster.

"Thank you Mr Worf, I believe we met when I was still an old mummy back at my lab on Terlina III after Lore had gone on another rampage, and you came to retrieve Data," he greets and reminds him, with Worf nodding at him sharply with a pleased, "Yes Sir, welcome aboard the _F_," to which Dr Soong replies with a faint smile, "Thanks, very well, lead on my good man."

With all entering the turbolift there opening, Worf then adds after calling for Deck Nine.

"He is in his own quarters at the moment, only a few accommodations from your son's."

Picard in his private quarters indeed, he is with Riker and Troi, along with La Forge, Crusher and Wesley, all no less in their uniforms and new combadges. Sitting by the long Art Deco table over an old-fashioned cup of Earl Grey tea, they apparently have resolved their so heated internal issues by that. As the door chimes up and he calls to come in, Worf so enters there and with Picard nearly wanting to rebuke him for having left the bridge frowning at him, Worf but precedes him quickly and sounds his dark voice at him as he gets up.

"Dr Noonien Soong here to see you Captain, and Dr Bashir has retuned."

Everyone looking at each other not at all surprised, but massively excited having waited for him, he refrains from any disciplinary outbursts, and merely nods at him with a thank you, while the two men so follow Worf. Seeing first Bashir again, he says with a smile in approaching him, as Riker and Troi get up with La Forge and Wesley, again all that excitedly following him.

"Yes thank you Worf, Julian nice to see you back so quickly!" he exclaims in nodding at him and Bashir nodding back with a big smile. "Dr Soong, welcome aboard," he then addresses the man behind him. "I'm so terribly sorry to meet you under these truly awful circumstances, rather than for what we had in mind," he says in stepping closer to him.

Worf turning to leave again with Bashir on their smile and thank you, the others so finally behold the very, famous man, who had created the so misfortunate Lore, and now late brothers Bellfort and Data, as the only one left now in one functional piece. With Dr Soong not the slightest more cheered up however, not only by Picard's vague attempt to appear just that, they all know for what tragic recurrence indeed.

As he offers him his hand in utter disbelief it really is him, and to even look just like all his sons, give or take the long light hair and less pale skin, Dr Soong seems to hesitate, but then shakes his hand firmly, and Picard so introduces his crew to him.

"Please let me introduce you to my 'other' FO Cmdr Will Riker and his wife Counsellor Deanna Troi, my chief engineer Lt Cmdr Geordi La Forge, Data's best friend, Lt Wesley Crusher his mother Dr Beverly Crusher," he says with a friendly voice pointing them out for him.

So replying with exactly the same voice as his sons besides, yet in an utterly unfamiliar fashion of firmer tone or much more informal dialect, after a no lesser friendly nod at the other officers, especially to La Forge, they all return them very much impressed with a sincere smile.

"Thank you," he replies tersely. "Commander, I believe we met briefly many years back when it was assumed Lore had killed me, and I had asked Data to say that he had by accident, to end Starfleet's constant interventions as it were," he recaps at everyone's smiling nods it never happened for real indeed. "Counsellor, I'm most delighted, chief La Forge I remember you were there with the Commander that notable day, very pleased to meet you. Young Lieutenant, Dr Crusher, hello," he finishes his polite tour of acknowledging Data's friends as it were. "So Capitan, what is it you want to say to me before I can see my sons and, daughter?" he then asks him directly with an again much shorter tone.

Picard turning to a mute Riker and even muter Troi, after their most pleased acknowledgment of the Doctor's words, she can sense his definite animosity towards the Captain, who looks at them with a sorry pout at La Forge and Wesley. Pointing Dr Soong to sit by the smaller table on the black chair, as they all look at his again fairly grim face, and even Picard can feel his distinct resentment towards him way too obvious. Turning back to him with a forced smile by that, he says with a deep heave as Dr Soong nonetheless declines his offer to sit with a quick headshake.

"I'm afraid, you cannot see either, Dr Soong," he replies with a low tone.

Dr Soong frowning at his serious face, he exclaims sharply, "What!? – Why!?"

Picard slowly stepping away from him not to get rolled over for his next reply, as he expects him not to take it too well, and perceptive enough Riker posts himself in between as if to lead Troi to the seats and build a taller barrier between them as it were, he is expecting him to burst his presumed very much strained emotions.

No matter he is greatly recuperated physically, and indeed would have regained emotional stability by that besides, yet never having met him before as he is now, they have no clear perception as to his own and again so much younger temperament. Bar Troi, feeling him to be in no positive mood for sure.

"He-um, he, we cannot reach him Doctor," comes Picard's soft reply.

While Wesley and Crusher place themselves by the window, very enthralled to watch the very man, the very cyberneticist genius of the House of Soong, who has created their invaluable friend and most unique colleague, Picard then adds quickly as Dr Soong does not even come closer but simply frown at him again with an ever-grimmer expression. While Riker retreats to sit down with Troi and La Forge, at his obviously more passive disposition for now, and Picard explains it to their esteemed guest.

"He-um barricaded himself inside his cybernetics lab Doctor," he replies with more details. "I'm afraid it seems, he is attempting to do the same with his own and your daughter, what you did, with your wife Juliana."

Dr Soong frowning at him again, he shakes his head not quite clear as to what he implies, and with Picard so coming closer again, he replies not at all understanding him.

"I'm not with you Captain?" Dr Soong returns puzzled. "I created the new Juliana from scratch so to speak, just like my sons or brothers if you will. But Lal is an android already and it can't be done that way, he would need to recreate Arika first newly just the same in her own image," he explains in turn. "Or does he want to, 'combine' them, like a 'Borg'? – What do you mean?"

Picard shaking his head merely sighing again, he then says as Dr Soong looks over to the others, who all keep stumm in nodding back at him, not any cleverer for sure.

"We're not exactly clear on what he wants to achieve Doctor, but after I had told him that Lal's brain would have self-corrected after all these years, on the authority of someone most 'omnipotent' only some time before," comes his rather surprising reply. "He suddenly just snapped and isolated himself inside his special lab with both we simply cannot enter at his security override, and I didn't want to just shut it all down in case, you know," he wages his words to show consideration Dr Soong does not openly recognise as that for now.

"Well either way, we're not sure what he's up to, and simple doesn't reply," Picard explains further. "But he was so utterly devastated that he nearly killed himself over her so tragic, death, Doctor. I tried to reason with him, but he was so out of his sane mind, after what had happened to-um, Data and poor Bellfort already, and I believe my unreasonable forcing him to desist made him even more determined."

Looking at Dr Soong's yet utterly unmoved face merely staring back at him, as if he himself would have switched off his no doubt deeply grief-struck emotions, Picard takes it more as his obvious resentment towards him personally, before he then continues as Dr Soong merely nods for him to clarify things further.

"Lore seriously would have attempted to destroy himself, if I hadn't given in for him to attempt whatever it is, he was utterly determined to get in there," he so elucidates on the graver side of things. "And it was my fault entirely, I should have let him the moment he even asked me," he confesses to Dr Soong's unmoved face.

"But I simply was afraid it would go wrong even more so for him Doctor, and then it nearly did go wrong on my miscalculation, and he even held our new biophasers to his own head, which would have blasted even him out of existence just the same I guess. No matter your daughter's extra defense shielding she installed, or he'd not threatened us to use it," he dare tells him to his visibly more engaged attention pursing his lips not at all happy in smalling his cold eyes.

"Vicious weapon the biophaser is based on, which was once banned in the Federation, and I only issued my bridge crew and security with any, and the additional special neural net revival setting in case of otherwise induced death or accidental lethal stun, unfortunately does not apply to his too non-biological neural net or positronic brain. Or of course could not help your-um, daughter either for that," come more words of doomed facts.

Pausing there for a moment, Dr Soong still does not react much to his rather foreboding delivery, and Picard adds in hope he would not just simply explode at some point at his so unusually composed demeanour, worth an utterly detached Data for sure.

"So in effect, he took himself hostage as it were, and would have died on the spot most painfully too," Picard explains further. "All I tried was to keep him from failing perhaps only to kill himself afterwards the way he acted, and I simply cannot permit after all we went through, and to restore all the precious brothers, you must understand my motives Dr Soong," he addresses him directly again. "So I just had to let him remove Lal from her resting place, and your daughter from sickbay right after she had passed away, and has isolated himself inside his cyberlab ever since near two days now. He even took her Grid, so we cannot even try to get to him via her supercomputer, or interface."

Dr Soong just taking it all in as the Captain presents it, reacting to the explanation of the so devastating weapon's capabilities only so far, he still frowns at him all the more quietly while everybody else is just watching his so composed manner, even Troi is rather surprised over. Before he finally replies somewhat utterly surprising, and then asks something different altogether with a very demanding voice as it were, in crossing his arms over his chest, still being that oddly calm and self-possessed.

"You can't even use The Grid Captain, it's only configured to her and my own fingerprints, that to say, Lore's as well, since all my sons had the same from my own imprints," comes his rather detached correction. "But tell me, why would you have not allowed him to try 'exactly that' in the first place, and avoid all this renewed near fatal drama, hm? Apart from fear he'd just kill himself at any rate, which is his perfect right I might add."

"You obviously still haven't gathered how 'determined' we Soongs all are, and no one can stop Lore most of all, 'Graves virus' possessed or not, and mostly for not actually being their 'property' as his own shell, with only **us** having any legal rights over Lore or 'B-4' and Lal, so you cannot force 'him' to do anything in the first place," follows his snide remark. "I thought we wee past that 'ownership' clause, Captain, hm?" he ridicules Starfleet again in addition.

"I also realise that in effect my implants or Bellfort's at that, must have caused her death, but Arika knew they would degenerate over time and might cause trouble. I had asked her to tell me about the slightest problems to replace them, but she hadn't," he adds to his own defence now. "And I believe that Dr Crusher did her best unseen, but Arika knew about the risks. And if I got this right that she has all of my sons' memories, Lore would have known that too. Unless she hid that fact from them."

"Or is it because of the 'designation', 'Borg', perhaps, hm?" he mocks him suddenly directly and very openly, with all looking at each other rather taken aback. "If he succeeds so be it, rather 'that' than no Arika, don't care. A complete android or mandroid, made of flesh and blood, cyborg any 'Borg', all the same to me, just like Juliana was," flow his words of total conviction and indifferent resentment, as to others' dissimilar thoughts about these controversial matters.

With all not badly surprised about his so versed insider knowledge first of all, which might present a legal gap suddenly no one had seriously considered up to now, at his all the more nonchalant retort, and not even for his so openly mocking tone. Dr Soong putting his left hand to his chin as if to ponder his next words, he then notes on further matters most seriously aware.

"Oh I know of your stand towards or rather against them Captain, and I fully respect that," he suddenly adds most amused it seems. "But as soon as my daughter with her legal rights over them all, had been declared, they would automatically revert to me, since neither of them were 'real' Starfleet, and he's Lore by positronic brain ID code, not Data or Bellfort, remember? Both are 'officially' deceased, even though Data was declared recovered by 'B-4's' unit and Lore to be Bellfort's 'spare parts'. You obviously haven't read the smallprint, Captain," he mocks him again with obvious delight.

"I'm really surprised at you Picard, Data as the original officer is dead and Lore doesn't 'exist' anymore, no? Besides, **I** am the only one with the say in any legal matters concerning the Soongs now with my heart Arika gone, and Lore not quite compos mentis for his renewed loss," he makes it absolutely clear now. "So, let's try this again, I want to speak to him now and you're going to tell me where his lab is, or I just find it myself," comes his direct threat now to end this to him absurd delay.

With Picard still to hesitate however, Dr Soong there finally steps a bit closer just as determined to get inside the lab, this time putting his hands behind his back just as his daughter would in fact, as if to restrain himself not to resort to anything more drastic than mere threatening words. So smiling at him in a not at all too friendly manner in leaning into his field of vision, he then mutters on still rather scornfully touched.

"Captain, let me make one thing absolutely clear to you, don't even endeavour to expect me to behave again like this senile old 'mummy' of years ago your crew encountered, and thus try to oppose me as soft target, or I will make this an official issue with Admiral Janeway," he 'advises' him clearly in command of the entire situation.

"And let me just add this, so you know exactly what to except of me," he continues with a very amused glint in his shiny-blue eyes. "I had a very interesting conversation on board the _Sutherland_, with 'Capt Hobson' about my son Data as it were, and the regretful episode which had occurred between them some years back when he was in command of her and Hobson was his FO, and very sorry about it still now at his instantly one hundred percent altered perception of 'androids', for Data's impressive show of superior intellect and resort."

"Especially after he heard he even had scarified himself for your 'human' crew Captain, as galactic words spreads faster than you might think, no matter he was declared as missing in action only the next day by Janeway on your wish, for 'B-4's' sudden awakening with his memories as it were," he grants him no lesser resentfully voiced and knowledgeable.

Pausing there suddenly all dramatically, looking at the Captain with a smirking nod to himself, Picard has a very bad feeling in his stomach already. That he might come up with the one thing he dreads for them all to hear about at this very moment all the more now, and Dr Soong promptly delivers at that.

"But he more so asked me if I actually knew, why Data never had applied for the _Sutherland_ captaincy he himself had asked Starfleet to offer him, they then even had accepted, and then asked **you** to tell him about, and if he was at all interested," comes the bombshell he so dreaded to hear about. "So-um, what you think I answered him Picard, hm?"

Now unexpectedly cornered with his bionic heart suddenly missing an artificial impulse, the others are in absolute and silent shock. All aware of the very 'regretful' incident, if not in relation as to this grand offer bar Troi, as Lore had told her about it only days ago if not in detail, yet even hearing his father knows and talks about it that bluntly, she feels just as awful again. As they all just gape at Picard who does not even dare look at him, Dr Soong only continues his verbal attack no one had expected ever to even arise, after Picard's already bruised officer ego and deeply hurting personal feelings.

"And I'm fairly certain you know exactly what I refer to Captain! If not your crew it seems according to their shocked faces, and that you probably never even told Data about the prestigious vacancy, and gave him the one chance to become his own captain for his exceptional service record, he bloody well deserved Picard!" he finally shouts at him most indignantly. "As he would have at least said no thank you if not interested, to stay with his friends I gather he preferred, but the post then even went to this 'Shelby' whoever he was, and then Hobson himself after six years I'm not even certain deserved the post either to be honest!"

"But I respect what Hobson had done for Data then, and now he's still puzzled ever since, and took it as an indirect rebuke over his previous prejudiced treatment, for Data never even to have talked to him again! And is no less unlawful let me just remind you about that Captain, and not to forward a serious offer like that!" Dr Soong warns him in turn most sharply intoned. "And I really wonder how you explained it to them, that 'Cmdr Data' wasn't interested in such a prestigious offer! Apart from the fact that this might have no doubt meant for **all** my sons still to be alive **now**, 'Captain'!"

Finally leaning into his face there, if keeping to verbal assault only, Dr Soong has made himself and the most unpleasant situation absolutely clear for sure, and blazing his angry steel blue eyes at him, Picard can only cringe under his cold stare and look away again, while Dr Soong only sneers at him some more.

"But it's all too late now for my precious Data obviously, after he got savagely killed to save **your** crew when **he** should have eliminated this 'Shinzon', not you, just to repeat it for my Arika! And even died never ever knowing they regarded him **that** highly!" Dr Soong finally yells out in pointing at him, just like his daughter had before over the same issues.

"But it's not too late for my Lore, so you had better make damn sure he keeps his well-earned current status **as** Data, the Federation officer, or himself no difference to me neither! After we're down to **one** of my creations of a Soong brother, all in the name of bloody Starfleet on good Bellfort's terrible demise as well, I want to see besides! So I demand you finally tell me where the hell he is,** or else** Picard!"

All not only amazed about his so keenly versed, and equally relentless defence of his own, his utterly striking and ever so unyielding demeanour, and his all the more harsh and shamefully revealing accounts neither of the others ever knew about, they are left in utter disbelief now, as to their Captain's most unbelievable withholding this great opportunity. Not even knowing there had been another, bar Troi again, even if not in detail at that, all just staring at each other even more stunned over his all the greater, and ever so forceful arguments.

And it indeed becomes absolutely clear now, from where Lore or in part Data at that, or all the more his very daughter, had received their so utterly commanding nature from, his very DNA no doubt besides. No matter of course for Lore having been tinged by the Graves virus then, and the DNA as such could according to his daughter not directly influence his character, yet was based on their father per se, and thus would ever put forth his very strong-willed demeanour as such per his own engrams in addition.

Picard now utterly crushed again, he can only capitulate at once, visibly shaken to have been found out like that besides, and does not even want to try to oppose him. After having dealt with either of his so powerful own, knowing far too well by now, how extremely uncompromising and implacable the Soongs all are.

Or 'or else' will occur no doubt more devastation. Only feeling ashamed as it were over his no doubt selfish deed of then to withhold such great promotion, even though he did it for some very different reason for sure, Dr Soong seems not aware of, or simply chooses to ignore if so, he may not even think of the second captaincy, no one even knows about in detail at this point.

With a very sorry look at Riker and Troi, who only keep coldly calm, she can feel Dr Soong's utterly bitter determination, and his very own inner even greater turmoil now. While La Forge and Crusher with Wesley just vaguely shake their heads at him, not at all happy about what they just heard, after all the again near fatal drama at the cyberlab already.

Seeing their stunned silence, all looking away as it were on his pleading gaze, Picard finally nods at Dr Soong in pointing him to the door, to follow him, as Riker and Troi follow them with a big heave of utter incredulity, and La Forge and Crusher along with Wesley trot after them bearing very disappointed faces.

10


	9. Chapter 33 Family

Family-------------------------------------------------------------------

Data being inside his own hightech cybernetics lab, it is only dimly illuminated and lays all deathly quiet. Featuring the same kind of isolation unit they had before on the old _D_, in which Lal was created and had died, Picard would shortly after be restored in it the same following his retrieval from the Borg. To destroy the attacking Borg ship by his 'sleep command' he had given Data, who then also would be reactivated later besides. After he had lost his head in old San Francisco – which does sound funnier than it actually was.

Having put Lal within the unit, she is standing upright being still offline. Looking just like the very day she had passed away, with her black bob hair and pretty fair face, Data so standing next to her, The Grid is interfaced with the unit, and he keys in some last command. Wearing his uniform now sans the combadge and looking fairly miserable, he is activating the sequence to bring her out her stasis, reanimating her as it were. Now fully restored and reprogrammed, she wakes up suddenly, looks around somewhat puzzled, rebooting recalling and remembering, and then recognises him.

Seeing Lore, she indeed believes to be her father Data, looking slightly older, with a little different colour skin and eyes yet the same, she can compute every single thing of her ever so very short life. Including having died. Gazing at his hopeful shiny-big eyes, he waits for her to realise herself, smiles at her, and touching for her cheek gently, she even acknowledges his contact with an instant smile.

"Hello Lal," he addresses her all so softly not to startle her even more. "You're alive again my dear, you could restore your very own failed neural net matrix while you were offline, you self-corrected over a long period of time. I'm so sorry that I never realised this earlier, but it has been fourteen years now since I believed you, dead – do you remember who I am Lal?"

Scrutinising his also utterly changed uniform closer now, his altered eye and skin colours, and unfamiliar place, yet is realising where she is remembering his soft voice, or who he is indeed, she smiles at him. As he releases the security hatch, to lead her outside the diagnostic device, she slowly follows him like a magnet, and all her preserved memories come flooding back quickly.

"You are my father, are you not?" she replies fairly confidently. "You look somewhat matured and not so opalescent pale and your eyes have changed colour, from soft gold to electric purple. But you are my father, I recognise your pleasant voice and remember you were with me when I, died," flow her self-assured words of instant recognition. "How ever so very fortunate that I could restore myself, and that you have returned me to the living, I thank you dearly for that, father," she adds in following him directly.

"But has it been already fourteen years now? I am somewhat amazed, but have you learned how to grieve for me in these entire fourteen years, father? I remember that I felt love for the both of us when I said I love you, and you replied you couldn't love me back. But I believed you could and that you can love, have you learned how to grieve and love yet, father? You learned how to smile and use contractions, do you know how to grieve and love father?"

Data as it were now smiling all so pleased at her every eager questions, he can remember her having bombarded him with such at the very start, and in exactly the same zealous manner. So leading her over so some chairs to sit while she is still looking around, he then replies in smiling at her big eyes taking her hand, she can remember for her having done so before, and looking at his still so unfamiliar smile besides, she is smiling back at him just as excitedly.

"Yes Lal I do, and I loved you as you loved me despite my inability to project it in an emotional way then," he replies softly to her instant joy. "But now I can, and I loved someone I only lost two days ago, and I still grieve for her as I grieved for you, or my special friend Tasha, and someone else," he explains to her immediate reaction of sadness to match. "But she was my life and my wife, your mother you never knew Lal. I would give my own to bring her back, and I need to ask you a very kind favour now Lal," he asks her directly now with Lal looking at him concentrating on his intriguing words.

"You don't need to do it, but I wanted to request your help at least, before I simply would do it without even asking you, but I necessitate your vital assistance in this to make her come alive again, just as you have Lal, so I can have her back and you will gain a mother finally, yes please Lal?"

Seemingly pondering over his most absorbing question, she puts her other hand on his in smiling at him again, and as he eagerly awaits her good response nodding at her, she then replies all the more involved.

"My 'mother'?" she asks with Data nodding at her black eyes again. "Who was she? Where is she? How did she die? Or can you bring her back, father?"

Data there looking over to the black covered table, with a now single long shape outlined underneath, he gets up to show her. Pointing her to it as she follows him to step beside the locked table, and looking at his again saddened eyes, she touches for his mournful brow there, seeing his sudden pain, feeling his deep hurt. Just as she had felt it before, and was the very reason why she had died herself, for experiencing painful emotions.

Touching for his chin tenderly so he would look at her, fearing he might die too now for feeling this obvious pain, she frowns at him all concerned, still in her more naïve and adolescent view mode of things, and as he looks at her again, she says tenderly in smiling at his so despondent eyes.

"Please do not grieve now father, please do not die of your own grief now father," she begs him in touching for his hand again. "Please let me see her, father… please?"

So lifting the black sheet, and pulling it down to her waist to uncover his lovely rose, dead and gone indeed, he so shows her his beloved and all but lost wife. Soong still in her green surgery gown and head now unbandaged with all her long hair open, it is all so lovingly laid out neatly alongside her slim body. Yet it seems suddenly gone greyer and has lost greatly its sheer blackness, and appearing more asleep than dead, white like a Borg for sure, she yet still looks as beautiful when she was alive and breathing.

"This is your mother Lal, my beloved wife Arika," Data tells her with Lal gazing at her utterly taken now. "She died on some corroded chip in her cortex which had dislodged and travelled to her heart. Dr Crusher could not save her, she tried her utmost best to even remove it by beam technology, but she was badly bleeding into her skull she could not arrest, and the toxins it had left behind eventually killed her. I was with her when she, passed away in my very arms…"

Nearly crying there again, Lal smiles at his so down-heartened eyes in tenderly caressing his grieving face, and waits all patiently for him to tell her more.

"I desire her to come back to me Lal, with your help," he mumbles up near choking. "Please will you consider becoming a temporary vessel for her memory engrams? She has the same positronic brain as we have Lal, which is still intact, but she is fully human otherwise and my own father's biological child," Data explains further at her lingering attention.

"You will retain all your own memories I promise, and even gain all of ours, and even two of my brothers you have never met, whose conscience can all be kept separate. I don't want to download her engrams into her supercomputer," he adds in pointing her over to it. "Or from myself and then back into her restored shell, but you Lal, as it might cause her memories to become corrupted with each reload, and by that you will be part of us both literally as well."

Lal trying her best to understand his fairly complex ideas, and all-round new developments she basically had slept through, and looking at his dead-serious face, she tilts her head just as he had done so often, or even her dead mother, thinking about it just as seriously, and then saying, "Please tell me more father," he so does, trying hard not to start weeping again.

"Her supercomputer is too impersonal a dead if self-evolving and 'alive', but still only machine," her father elucidates in addition. "I don't like the thought of her being in there as mere lifeless data without a body, or want to risk losing her memories even though it can clone any records, when I turn her into one of us Lal, no matter I have hers and my brothers' already in full. My father had done the same with his own last wife, when she had suddenly died many years ago and Arika had nearly as well, and received her positronic brain for that. I loved her beyond my own life and I would want to recreate her in her own image, just as he has done with his own lost wife. Will you help me to restore her please, Lal?"

Lal still computing all these new and startling, and all the more saddening and equally exhilarating accounts now bit by literal bit, she tenderly touches for her mother's so mockingly peaceful features all so gently. Looking at his ever more graven face again, she replies in feeling for his shaking hands, while he holds his lost love's natural hand, so cold and so dead, just as her android one is.

"She's terribly cold father and so beautiful," she whispers rather startled never having seen or touched a dead person before of course. "I will help you bring her back, I wish to know her father. I'd love to have a mother, so we can be together as a family," she agrees to his great relief. "I will be her temporary vessel, so she can be reborn by me, as I was born by you father… yes."

Closing his eyes terribly pleased now, and yet is starting to cry utterly overcome, Lal embraces him to show her support in their close moment of united mourning and happiness combined. Till some fairly loud voice there suddenly appears at the doors, calling out his very name and even sounds just like his own, if not in even more casual manner. Both frowning at each other there for a second, not quite getting the idea that he is inside and yet sounds from the outside, he is not believing it might be a returned Data or Bellfort for 'dead' sure.

As Dr Soong so has arrived at the lab calling for him through the sealed doors, Picard and Riker, along with Troi and La Forge, and no less Drs Bashir and Crusher with Wesley and even Worf, they are all congregated to watch him trying to get his son come out, or them inside. Or at least one of them. Dr Soong calling for him again, they all wait for something to happen, but nothing does. So he calls again saying to be his father, and to let him talk to him. But silence only remains, and with Picard sighing up while everyone follows this involuntarily, he shakes his head and says softly in stepping next to him.

"We attempted all that before Doctor, Deanna and Wesley tried their best only hours ago, but he simply won't react to any of us, not even his best friend Geordi," he relays, with Dr Soong only sighing back at him. "If you cannot get him to come out or one of us inside, we have to force the doors. We cannot beam him away either, he established a forcefield we cannot deactivate, and even if so, he surely would only go on a rampage we cannot risk either. I have no other choice left now, we have to secure this mission besides Doctor don't think me insensitive, but he's the only one to actually be able to undertake it as it were. We need to get him out of there, please Doctor he has to come out… please?"

Before Dr Soong can actually reply to that, seeing his point not at all an unreasonable man to be sure, they can hear Data respond from the inside there suddenly, calling out just as resolutely.

"You're too late father – I restored Lal to aid me bring back Arika, go away."

Before Data in turn there however can continue himself, and all are just as pleased to hear he apparently could recover Lal, Dr Soong interrupts him and calls out all the more determined now to end this stalemate of grieving emotions.

"I can help you son, Data please!" he sounds up resolutely in stepping closer to the doors. "You need my assistance in this, you never did this before, and Bellfort tried his best to save her before. I know what you're trying to do, and I will help you to get this right, please let me in, son, please?"

Pausing there for a moment, looking to the ground near tears himself now, everyone else is hardly breathing in terrible fear he would not be able to make him come out either. As they all can just sit or stand tight and wait, he thinks it might be wise to perhaps try addressing him as 'himself'.

"Lore, please forgive me son," Dr Soong declares in pressing closer to the unyielding doors. "But I could not help you sooner myself, please forgive me, and to have abandoned you all these years ago and even Data, please son!" he begs him now directly. "But Juliana had forced me to! I'm so sorry about that and never forgave myself over it, or that I couldn't help you and turned to creating your younger brother! I tried, I really tried son! Even the day you took Data's chip I tried, that's why I told you to die, and if you want to know things, so I could try again! But it all went so terribly wrong once more. I'm so sorry son, please Lore forgive me about all that, please!" comes another desperate plea and tears finally flowing along his every word.

"But my Arika finally could help you and I'm so very happy about that, please let me help you now to restore your sister and beloved wife. My only daughter, please Lore, please son! Please Data, oh god Bellfort tell him! Please I beg you **all, **please! You need my help in this please, Lore son, **please**!?" stream his words of most desperate and angry appeals.

With each and every one harking for a hopeful reply on his sobbing pause, looking at each other in keenest anticipation, nothing is happening still. All shaking their heads in lost expectation, Dr Soong drops his forehead on the utterly unmoving doors. Before he whispers up yet audibly enough to be heard inside, utterly despondent now with more relentless tears nearly drowning his trembling voice.

"Lore please, sons, if you won't come out they will need to force the doors, please! It would only go all horribly wrong again, oh god please Lore, I don't want to lose you too! You're the only one left now, please come out, please son!" he pleads with him ever more frantically voiced. "Oh god, don't let Lal be left without a father please, or even mother! I just had a look at poor Bellfort and it tore out my heart, again and again! I have lost already five of your brothers and my only daughter! I can't cope with your horrible loss too son, please Lore, I beg you, please!!"

Everyone looking at each other just as hopelessly, biting their lips in extreme tension just the same, there after another tense minute of sobbing grief, the doors suddenly unlock and gradually open. Dr Soong stepping back utterly surprised now, as Data or indeed Lore appears, he slowly gazes up to his all the more relieved father, and with both looking all so very differently since they last saw each other, so many and unhappy years ago, they yet look so much more alike the other suddenly.

Even with his father's shiny silver-white hair and healthy tan, all in contrast to Data-Lore's own terribly ill and pale-faced misery, and with everyone in sheer disbelief he simply comes out like that, they stare at each other near hysterically enthralled. With both embracing the other finally in a flood of tears engulfing them already, Picard signals the others there to leave them alone, and they all respectfully disperse quietly at once. Taking a last look at them both, he smiles to himself all the happier now and then leaves as well all stealthily.

As the two men finally move inside after nearly crushing each other to blessed death, and the doors close again unto their secretive activity, to attempt to recover his very daughter, their wife and sister indeed, it all points to a more promising conclusion. With the invaluable help of the absolute master of all cybernetics geniuses to succeed in repeating his very own greatest achievement in that field, and support from his own ingenious creation, or even all four of his children rolled into one, it so might just be possible. Through a little assistance from his own late wife Juliana's input from his lost child possessing her memories at that, and his very grandchild's help besides, beloved Lal indeed.

6


	10. Chapter 34 Lonely Among Us

R E S U R R E C T I O N

Lonely Among Us--

In sickbay's special intensive care unit, Drs Crusher and Bashir are overseeing the slow recovery process of their latest patient, or new old patient as it were. With Wesley and Lal standing in between them as Ogawa waits in the wings with the other nurse, they are watching Dr Soong wait for his all but indeed restored daughter to wake up, placed by her side on the bed.

Lore sitting next to him at her head end facing away from her direct view, Picard along with Riker, Troi and La Forge are standing close behind the group. All keenly hoping she will be herself again, no matter not quite flesh and blood anymore now, as more to the unique nature of her siblings at this point, or the least a physical cross between their android nature and her former human self, they so wait for her to wake up.

With the Professor there stirring into coming around finally, she slowly opens her eyes, lying more on her right side in recovery position, her open hair is barely covering up the fresh tell-tale surgery scars along her hairline. Yet suddenly bearing a thick white strand of more grey hair in between as well, robbed of its natural black pigmentation now even more so, over the course of her dying and eventual reanimation, it is reminiscent of something else altogether.

As she looks straight into the black eyes of her smiling father, she is nonetheless yet not quite realising what she sees way too groggy, and moving up slightly, she is still looking like her very own ghost, yet is no doubt alive, and recovered from the dead for sure. Dr Soong speaking her name in touching for her right hand, still featuring her interface as before, online and part of herself just the same, she is even wearing her precious ring. Yet she is not reacting to his words, as rather just gaze around, while everyone else is just stumm with hopeful eyes looking at her.

Lore or Data apparently with all his emotions up to his brim, he is indeed terribly relieved and silently excited to see her at all living, and moving again. And so oddly similar as to his own movements, tilting her head just like her brothers had even ore now, he however cannot perceive at all as he was able to before, despite the interface to feed him her very bioreadings.

Frowning at his father, he so again calls her name, and trying to sit up, she fights hard to compute what is happening to her. Looking very dazed and confused as she merely seems lost inside her reprogrammed new reality, she appears more like a coma patient waking and not remembering anything. Calling her name again, she does not react to him still, and as Lore gets a bit apprehensive over her apparent utter disorientation, yet not wanting to say anything himself not to startle her sitting now behind her, everyone else is standing out of her immediate view behind them the same.

"Arika my heart, do you remember me? Arika?" her father says softly. "Look at me please my heart, can you recognise who I am?"

Still only gazing at him seemingly reacting to his voice finally, yet somehow not comprehending the meaning of the words, she gazes into this void again as she always has done before, and Lore seeing this, he smiles at her despite her not to say a word. Or for him to still not being able to sense her at all, while all others merely keep watching her slow progress, to even aware herself it seems, let alone anything around her.

Dr Soong taking her hand there, he speaks again most gently, in carefully turning her head towards him by her chin, to look at him.

"Arika my heart – you have been very ill, but now everything is fine again, how do you feel? Can you tell me my heart? Can you tell your father Arika, please my heart, hm?"

Gazing into his black eyes there as if to understand, she there touches for his tired face, trying to make flesh his words, and he smiles at her brave attempt. But there her hand slowly slips from him, and she suddenly only closes her eyes as if fallen asleep, and he closes his own in painful realisation, that his best attempt might have failed him after all. To bring her back for them all, for himself, for Lore, for her brothers and husband, and most of all, her very self – from the dead, as it might have been too late in itself, to even endeavour to play god again.

With everyone around feeling their sinking hearts plunge into the void of their own disillusioned souls, only Lal seems not quite astute enough to comprehend why she does not react to his words. So frowning at her, at him, at them all, and with Wesley to smile at her there to reassure her somehow, Dr Soong then merely takes his no less lost daughter closer into this arms shaking his head at them, and Lore falls to pieces nearly fainting there, if he were of flesh and blood, like she before mainly once was herself.

Everyone heaving a terrible sigh of extremest disappointment, and head-shaking hopelessness, Picard cannot believe this is happening, again as it were, for someone to end up in ever more tragic circumstances. Someone he even loves himself, right on board his own ship, after the heartbreaking deaths of Bellfort, and his very Data already. Not even counting the actual loss of Lore, who seems to struggle hard not to cry again, as he slowly there touches for her hand, she but does not even realise either it seems, as if no sensor input can be generated, let alone registered besides.

Realising this, Lore simply falls over his own shadow dropping his head down the pillow over his arms, not to show he actually is crying. Dr Soong trying hard not to follow his utterly devastated heart, recognising her total unresponsiveness as he merely holds her tight, seemingly asleep and yet aware, she is utterly withdrawn inside herself. Merely glaring at him again, yet is only gazing into this imaginary void of hers, with her green-black eyes merely blinking every now and then, she is locked inside her own world utterly unreachable to them.

Lal still tilting her head, not understanding why they are all so silent, she asks quietly why she does not respond, and Crusher there wanting to raise her voice to answer her, suddenly Worf can be heard over the intraship comm, and they all listen up. Bar the Soongs for sure, announcing that they face an immediate problem, calling the Captain and crew to the bridge. Picard so merely sighing in quietly calling back to be on their way, he nods at everyone to leave

As they slowly so finally disperse again, only the doctors stay behind along with Lal, and with a last look at Dr Soong who merely nods at him in sheer misery, he there gently taps on Lore's shoulder. Slowly finally looking up at his own miserable eyes, he begs for leaving him there, but Picard slowly shakes his head in equally dejected repudiation, as he needs him on the bridge all the more now, he even has to pull him up as Lore indeed shows not the slightest intent to follow him, with mere passive and utter resignation residing inside his grieving heart.

As they both slowly leave with everyone else already gone, and Picard kindly supports Lore outside, as he seems to falter under the unbearable strain finally, even his knees buckle suddenly. Crusher looking at Bashir who merely sighs at his equally lost dear and even just as well loved friend, having known her since years now, yet is not even recognising her own father anymore, he has to sit down feeling faint himself suddenly. Looking at her still in her utterly devastated father's arms, he starts crying as well suddenly, feeling utterly lost himself now.

Lal seeing this, she goes over to him, and simply embraces him just like her father before, and no less grandfather does her mother right there, as she perceives and imitates it. Bashir pleasantly surprised, he lets her do so sensing it her kind way of comforting him, and with Crusher feeling even more touched now, Ogawa steps beside her, they look at each other, and Crusher merely sighs at a total loss herself now, both unable to utter anything more at this so terribly depressing stage.

Ogawa merely nodding at her in no better shape, Dr Soong finally frees himself from his utterly impassive child still only gazing at him, trapped inside her own inaccessible world. Bashir glaring at his just as miserable face, Lal smiles at them both and then sitting by him, while Dr Soong lays his once so lively and strong, so wonderful and beautiful child back down to cover her up she even lets him do, as if is not even realising her very own body.

No less looking just the same, with her own artificial hand still bearing the active interface, and outwardly not changed much, with only a few neatly done scars more on her forehead after a cranial operation, and faded hair colour, she yet is so totally different in inner character suddenly. Apparently having lapsed into a vegetative state now, no matter mainly of even more cybernetic implants or not, she is presenting the most horrible culmination of a complete tragedy, made literal 'flesh and blood'.

All in a more horrible contrast as to his last wife or even Bellfort's future own, they both could save and restore so many years ago, of which Juliana had simply woken up and was herself again, smiled at him and never realised to have died. Dr Soong unable to understand why it has failed this time, it might have been perhaps too late at the entire delay to even try. Yet now so much later being so much more advanced in his already stupendous skills, he seems to have failed after all, despite even all his sons' help in addition. Staring at her staring back into this lost void of hers like she herself always had, he finally covers his grieving face unable to even look at her anymore, feeling only utterly disheartened, again.

4


	11. Chapter 35 The First Duty

R E S U R R E C T I O N

The First Duty--

Back on the bridge everyone is in their place, except for Lore, now sitting next to Picard as his FO, with Riker in Soong's place as his SO, and Wesley in Data's, while his own station is manned by Wallace again. Everyone just staring at the viewscreen utterly spellbound suddenly, they watch the most bizarre spectacle ever presented. All getting up there again to line up like colourful beads on a most taut piece of cosmic string in front of it, they witness the most uncanny event horizon ever, as the DeMoy Nebula seems to devour itself from the inside, like turning inside out and rolling back into itself.

So vanishing more and more into its own centre until it is completely gone, it finally exposes the purple Iceman Hell planet right behind it, and to the utterly amazed crew. Now lying in full linear view, it is suddenly floating in a totally black nothingness. Which in itself would not even be that stunning, or even cause for alarm, as they have seen similar remarkable events before. Were it but not for the even more stupendous fact, that the _Titan_ is going within it, shrinking beyond any molecules left at the same rate and speed, and is now utterly vanished too, crunched into a total oblivion besides.

As if the DeMoy Nebula itself had literally eaten her up within itself, with now only sheer nonentity remaining of either, in mere, pure black zerospace. As they all are just gaping at that utterly mindboggling spectacle, even Data-Lore seems utterly fascinated. After a minute of more silent disbelief, Picard there looks at Riker next to him who is just as flabbergasted, and then mutters up with an incredulous smile on his equally mystified face, at their own half stumped half amused expressions.

"Well, so much for your very short captaincy Will, aren't you just so happy I asked you back to witness this mind-blowing spectacle, hm?" he near sniggers with Riker grumbling up some meaningful yes. "God I'm only glad we didn't bring your crew back there as rather leave them here, and then shipped them over to the _Sutherland_ to get back to DS9. Never mind 'Capt Hobson' wasn't really that pleased with it, at least he brought back Drs Soong and Bashir… but what the hell was that? What just happened here? Where the blazes is your ship gone? Any suggestions?" he then asks into the just as stunned and head-shaking round.

With not even Data to have any, or maybe not really in the mood to come up with any good explanation, with his distraught mind not at all interested really, no matter still gazing out there utterly amazed, he shakes his head at him just the same, entirely downtrodden himself at any rate. Until he changes his mind suddenly, as if his emotions had suddenly vanished, were turned down to near zero output, not to keep himself prisoner of his hurting feelings.

No matter he certainly would not ever want to be without any again, and then says all the more seriously suddenly in looking back at him.

"'Zerospace' – that was zerospace à la 'Iceman Hell', Sir," he replies with all just gaping at him now. "I believe the planet gains its undetectability by draining the molecular substance of anything within its nebula reach."

Everyone still staring at him not having the slightest clue about what he just said, he only frowns at them since it makes perfect sense to him, obviously, and then back at Picard, who replies in frowning even more than him.

"But the nebula is gone as well, Data? – What is 'zerospace' anyway?"

Data pouting at him now, he then notes all the more seriously, if possible at his utterly neutral state suddenly without any emotions left whatsoever now, as otherwise he could not even exist at this moment. Since it sometimes seems to be most helpful to be of a more cybernetic nature, able to eliminate all emotions to carry on.

"Zerospace is the same as anti-time to time, or matter to anti-matter," comes his clever reply. "This is the anti of space matter, absolute zero substance, it is like a black hole without any 'hole' inside. Just like this superalien 'Nagilum' was of absolute nothing yet there, and I do not believe the nebula is gone, or that the planet does not 'exist'. We can see it yet not pick up on it, this is a 'Nagilum' in planet form, and the nebula will return. But not the _Titan_, she served as 'food' for it, Sir."

Now all even more confused, yet somehow getting his complex idea as illogical it seems, and yet appears utterly plausible as they have witnessed the most bizarre things without a doubt, out there in 'zero' space, where no logic applies in the first place, Picard so mumbles back at him.

"So-um, this is how all the ships went missing, got snared and then vanished inside this nebula?" he asks in pondering along his hypothetical line of reasoning.

Data nodding at him, Picard can only take it as a yes, and then asks just as seriously.

"So in fact, if all crew would have been on board, they'd become 'food' as well?"

Nodding again, Data only replies in an even greater excessively casual manner, locked inside his apparently absolute emotion 'zerospace' himself now, utterly convinced besides.

"Yes – the fact that we could not save the ship in any form, that nothing could halt her destruction whatever we tried, would suggest that any other crew would have been just as incapable. Or us powerless to rescue them despite our total technological superiority, and would have perished along or rather within her until reduced to absolutely nothing. Or indeed died before that the way the last witness had before turning into a mummy, unless that happened on the planet itself – or within this complete zerospace out here, Sir."

Picard and the rest thinking him a bit on the too passively composed, or even quietly raving side now, yet believe him every improbable word as usual, they look at each other in no better ideas anyway, it no less makes perfect sense for sure, and Picard then only sighs again deeply.

"God what a horrible death," he mutters up with Riker only nodding at him. "That's how we lost so many good officers, or even civilians. So-um, any more incredible ideas, as to when it will return, or why it hadn't actually 'eaten up' the ship before, we're here since five days now?" he asks Data again directly.

Data sighing himself there the sigh he never oh you know, he then simply replies in ever further extremely formal manner, and yet all the more unwittingly humorous form, as to the choice as to his so 'reserved' words as it were.

"It will return the moment it requires more 'sustenance', which is indeterminable as to how long that might take. It evidently did not destroy the vessel before now, because it obviously was still nourished enough from its previous 'food intake', so it might be days in general from one 'course' to the next, Sir."

Picard nodding at his logical recourse, he sighs again, and with everybody in agreeing acceptance of his utterly dispassionate explanation, he then asks some more of him, before he might just switch himself off too, as it appears he seems to be drifting into his very own zerospace ever more so himself, as if falling asleep suddenly way too exhausted and no lesser grieving.

"Well I hope the fact that we're cloaked might keep us from meeting the same horrid end – or that we're nowhere close to that damned nebula…"

All just wanting to nod at that fairly logical conclusion, Data just has to depress their already uneasy moods all the more now, by replying all coldly as Picard gets up suddenly, not to fall asleep suddenly. Or over, as he unexpectedly appears to be all the more like dead-tired, or even drunk. Which should be cause for alarm, as he seems unbalanced besides while walking over to Wesley, and they all get very concerned all of a sudden.

"It should be noted however that there is a potential risk it could well be reappearing in some other close location and we will be trapped right inside it and that we cannot estimate if any of our technology will withstand its destructive powers, Sir," he adds with a keen eye on Picard, feeling he might just collapse any moment.

Before they can even react to his perfectly reasonable, and all the more undesirable supposition and mega line, Picard there suddenly just falters into himself without any warning, and simply slams to the ground like a released coil right behind Wesley, and near all just gasp up in sheer horror, trying to dash for him in united uproars of his name, or title as it were.

Wesley closest crying out for him again, Data instantly takes command of thus renewed, most shocking a turn of already tragic enough events, and orders them all to stay back, and then goes down to him to check on his status, all the more collected and clear-minded. Riker just as composed instantly calling for Dr Crusher on his combadge for an emergency to be received, at the Captain's sudden decline who is out cold, she acknowledges at once, he then whisks Worf over to pick him up, so he can accompany Data to sickbay.

Worf doing just that with ease and as calmly, Data heads him off to the turbolift, and then says with an utterly unmoved voice and overly self-possessed demeanour, in looking back at Riker's just as neutral face.

"Please increase the distance between the ship and the planet by a quarter of the previous given coordinates and scan the planetoid image and immediate zone inside and around the DeMoy Nebula separately and maintain visual range – you have the bridge Commander, Counsellor you are with me."

Riker nodding at him with a loud, "Aye Captain!" Troi so follows him on his heels just as instantly, and they quickly leave the bridge. Riker so ordering the stunned crew to resume their posts utterly detached himself, they directly follow his orders. Except for Wesley stepping closer, and Riker addressing him with a friendly, "Yes Lieutenant?" Wesley only replies in looking after the quartet just vanishing inside the turbolift.

"Request to accompany the Captain, Sir."

Riker frowning at him, he however first addresses Lieutenant Wallace, who is looking back at him still waiting for his exact instructions.

"You heard the Captain, Lt Wallace – slow reverse, impulse power, 200 000 kilometre now please," Riker instructs him for Wallace to nod sharply. "Which one Wesley?" he then asks him directly since Data has command now as acting captain.

Wallace doing his part silently at his clear order, Wesley there frowns back at Riker with a, "'Both' Sir?" on which Riker merely shakes his head with a faint smile, and replies in pointing him back to his station.

"Sorry Wesley, you have to keep Ops in hand for the moment," comes his polite refusal. "Lt Taitt you heard the Captain," he then addresses her in turn while Wesley merely nods back, "Scan the hell out of this darn planet and nebula zone if you please, three separate scans on the double, maybe we can pick up something from farther away..."

Taitt answering with a loud, "Aye Sir!" Wesley so returns to his station immediately, and Wallace navigates the giant space vessel further away, from the bizarre nebula not even there at the moment. So with the mocking planet getting smaller as they reverse, Riker is not at all happy with this entire new 'mission' for sure, yet would not want to miss it for any of the worlds out there.

Or his lost ship for that matter, as long as his crew was still spared, having been transferred to the _Sutherland_. So having escaped the terrible death to get crushed up inside this purple monster, within their own metal coffin turning into absolute zero anything, if not even perhaps that but to get sucked dry like the other victim they heard about, before they could even get crushed like a tin can, mercifully. Or indeed might have beamed down there beforehand, on a desperate last ditch attempt, only to meet perhaps that or some altogether even more horrid death there, if ever possible with the purple nebula keeping them encased.

In sickbay then, Crusher and Bashir are busy scanning Picard still unconscious, lying on the bed next to the Professor, with Ogawa and the other nurse nearby. Dr Soong having fallen asleep lying now on the bed close to his utterly apathetic child, with his hands clasping his daughter's, she is seemingly sleeping herself now too, and with his face buried in her hair, it is obscuring his face completely.

As Lal is there playing to be asleep with them, to keep them company lying on the other bed next to them by the wall, Worf and Troi stand aside, while Data waits next to Crusher with one eye on Picard, and another on his slumbering father and regularly breathing wife. Data seemingly unmoved at either's plight it seems, they all wait for their diagnosis. With Crusher peering at a tired-looking Bashir then, both shake their heads at each other stopping their scanning, before she then turns to Data to explain, who merely listens to her utterly stone-faced.

"Well, the good news is, that there's no medical cause for him just to collapse like that, except of course not having slept for a few days now, plus all the terrible stress and he basically just dropped off – literally," she explains to everyone's relief. "He's just utterly exhausted, there's nothing wrong with him bar a total lack of sleep. But, the bad news is, we had twenty-three other such cases with exactly that kind of simply dozing off as it were, and none of them were over-tired or ill in any form, absolute zero causality connections between any of the crew," comes her lesser desirable diagnosis.

"Except the one factor, that all of them had become rather atypically aggressive shortly beforehand, just like Jean-Luc," follows her even more unsettling report. "But, we have no explanation for it, and, what's worse, they ultimately remain like having lapsed into a coma, yet their condition isn't based on anything we have encountered before I'm sure you realise, no explanation whatsoever I'm afraid. What's worse, we cannot rouse them and are absolutely stumped to be honest, and I'm sorry you weren't informed Data, but I had asked Jean-Luc not to because of Arika, to keep your head less worried, you know."

Not having expected anything like this, Data appears still greatly unmoved and merely nods at her, while Troi and Worf are all the more concerned now. Shaking his head at her faintly, he then asks with a look and nod over to his father and insentient wife as both the Counsellor and Worf so step closer.

"I understand," comes his placid reply. "Not very encouraging… have they been affected Doctor?

Rocking her head from side to side there, Crusher purses her red lips at his fairly concerned face, until Bashir there steps beside him and he explains it to him instead, for her to work her PADD to record her findings, at the great attention of Worf and greatly worried Troi.

"Well it's hard to say really Data, maybe Arika just needs more time to heal and recover, you never know," he interpolates encouragingly. "Your father said, it might be because she was-um, dead for too long, and has temporary narcolepsy for the additional implants to take better, to shut herself down not to disturb the regenerative process," comes his additional information. "Besides, let's face it, Lore had not much success in that very tricky field, and Arika as she is now, is not fully android either. To cross her with your father's 'human-wife-to-become-complete-android-to-become-human' and absolute Borg biocyber technology, and the surgery features they had used on you Data, no doubt requires a few more days to be assimilated by her new body," Bashir states no lesser logically considering the facts.

"Unlike it was with you having been 'alive' then besides, while they plastered you with this live skin," he reminds him with Data not really wanting to think back now. "Your dad ran a check on her just now, and her brain patterns show nothing wrong there, no signal degradation no positronic system or intermittent neural net impediment nothing, and no problems with her new cybernetic implants and such either," Bashir assures him in turn. "It must be the more biological side of the healing process that takes longer, you both couldn't have done any better I'm sure. It's utterly amazing she could be revived and restored like that in the first place at all, well I'm sure you know all that Data, Lore, not to worry, just give her time to recover, hm?"

Data nodding in full agreement with a no lesser heavy heart, Bashir so pats him on the shoulder to emphasise his well-meant encouragement, and then adds with a deep heave.

"Your father said her old implants were bound to cause her serious trouble in later life, or even her brain, since it never had been attempted to combine a biological body with cybernetic components to that extent if you will. She knew of the possible complications, but now that they're replaced and her brain is still in perfect order, I'm sure she'll recover soon Data," Bashir assures him again with another pat on Data's shoulder. "And he really just simply fell asleep a few minutes ago by the way, not to worry there," he reassures him some more with a sincere smile.

"But we're not sure if Capt Picard is one of those in a comatose state, his Berger brain waves are very close to the identical state of those of all the others. Their Beta and Gamma waves are near non-excitant, and their Delta and Theta wave and SMR activity are very high – they're all in a coma basically. I'm sure you're aware of each their related function, but-um, I'm afraid, if the entire crew will fall asleep at some point, we're all doomed," he suddenly declares.

Crusher looking at him there with a frown over his last line, he shrugs his shoulders and replies while Data keeps quiet for the moment, and Worf merely sighs with Troi feeling very uneasy all of a sudden.

"Well he needs to know the facts Doctor, and that's my prognosis I'm sorry," he rebels with shrugging shoulders. "Unless of course we withdraw, as I believe it all has to do with this killer nebula and this entire bizarre region, this 'purple planet' out there. Not that don't like purple," he adds quickly in tapping on Data's arm once. "I love the purple uniform and your eyes purple just fine Data don't get me wrong, but I would suggest to get the 'Iceman Hell' out of here, mission or not."

Everyone seeing how terribly frayed his own nerves are, over the Professor's terrible state most of all, he is unusually cranky and sarcastic, looking worn and weary, and Data the person in charge as it were for the moment, he of course realises all this. Crusher so stepping beside him, being wholly Data now without even the slightest contractions or emotions left, Troi pays even greater attention now for his suddenly entirely emotion void presence down to his pristine speech.

"I believe you are correct Doctor," Data replies softly and in utter control. "But I am afraid we cannot withdraw, our orders are clear and I will try to attempt to get to the bottom of this before we all **are **asleep. Except me and Lal or perchance even Arika, as our brains are certainly not affected like that, or perhaps even Counsellor Troi merely half Human. There are several more non-Human officers amongst the crew, and I elect them to be posted at strategic places to keep this ship safe."

Looking there at Worf addressing him directly all the more officially now, and since the peculiar honour code might not be in force anymore at Picard's previous invalidation of it, has zero value either way, or indeed for the entire crisis at Data's current status of being the officer in charge as the very Captain at this point, and simply has to obey him no matter what.

"Mr Worf, please see to that arrangement and look out for impulsive aggressive behaviour amongst the crew, and have them confined to Deck Five quarters immediately for their own safety," he asks him directly for Worf to nod instantly. "Inform Cmdr Riker of my decision and that he will need to keep the bridge in hand, unless there are any objections which can be brought forward when command crew will meet at Obs in twenty minutes for a mission briefing, after I have informed Admiral Janeway of the status of our progress, or lack thereof – The Counsellor will be my aide, thank you dismissed."

Worf perfectly happy with his 'decision', and if even not would still need to follow his orders, at Data's being his superior at any rate, and actually liking the idea to play bridge besides, he nods at him again with an emphatic, "Aye Captain!" and turns on his heels to leave. Troi nodding at him all the more gladly, Data then looks at Bashir before he might fall asleep himself standing up.

"Dr Crusher, please see to your colleague to be joining the Captain's rest, I will need you to be at hand Dr Bashir but not as one of your own patients, and you Dr Crusher please take a rest yourself to be prepared," he stipulates. "Nurse Ogawa, please recruit more staff to cope with the impending prospect to receive more casualties, Deck Six is ready to be utilised, please keep me informed of your progress," Data so orders her in addition, "And I wish you three to shift serve this ship, that is an order, thank you."

Ogawa sounding her, "I will Sir," Bashir nods happily in heading straight for one of the still empty beds with a, "Gladly Captain!" and Crusher sighs deeply at him with a dear smile. Data going over to his slumbering father, who seems deeply asleep indeed, to sit by his own daughter's side, and then in an instant changing into the loving concerned family man, rather than current cool and composed Captain, he gently touches for her shoulder.

Instantly waking up to look at him smiling at his smile, he addresses her as she sits by him, with Crusher and Troi sitting next to her, paying him instant attention.

"Lal my dear, would you please do me a favour?" Data so asks her nicely.

Lal indeed nodding at him instantly with a, "Yes indeed father," not even contemplating the very nature of it, he then requests the following with a soft voice and smile.

"I require you to keep an, no both eyes on my own father and your ill mother for me, while I need to attend to the ship and her many crew, will you please?"

Nodding at him again with an, 'I will father', he smiles at her all the more pleased, and then says to Crusher no lesser friendly.

"Please arrange for my wife to be brought to our quarters Doctor, my father will be able to care for her there where Lal can help him, and I will want to utilise my cyberlab to check on Arika better," Data solicits her help she agrees on at once with a nod. "We need this sickbay ready for other personnel just in case, I assign you to have the Captain monitored in his own quarters as well, and I wish for you to stay with him instead of your own place," he suddenly adds to her silently joy.

"And I require nurse Nauls Fentress to stay with him when you are on duty, please also see to an accessible isolation forcefield arranged to be established around sickbay, given casualty decks and both their quarters. If there is anything you need to tell me please do so now," he urges her in turn. "I have to get in touch with Admiral Janeway and be ready to tackle this crisis, Doctor."

Crusher smiling at him again, all the happier over her unexpected prospect to be even 'assigned' to stay with her friend in his own quarters, their incapacitated Captain, she only nods again and replies all the more obligingly, with a very happy smile at Troi who can sense her pleased feelings without a doubt. And is most impressed now as to Data indeed trying to get them booth back together, at this very opportune turn if very dramatic an event for this renewed horrible mission mess, and even his current own loss of his tragic love interest on top of it all.

"You **are** tackling it already Data and with great finesse I might add," Crusher replies in clasping around his arm. "And yes to all, I will gladly see to what you requested 'Captain', very happy to. Don't worry Data you're doing just great, and there's nothing I need to say to you as doctor or your friend, except I'm very grateful you asked me to see to the Captain that way, I'm sure you know that…"

Data pouting at her with a slight smirk, he replies in getting up to sit by his wife, as Crusher smiles at her again, both knowing indeed very well, why he is doing it.

"Of course I do, 'to all'," comes his sly reply. "Captain Picard is priority as long as alive, and you are his best friend and doctor, I am priority as Captain at this moment only to act on his behalf and in our all best interest. But I want to keep you as my friend and doctor just the same, and my father to be able to care for my wife, or sister or his daughter, either way," he states with a firm voice.

"Lal can help our father so you can concentrate on the Captain, and he can re-concentrate on you, once he will come out of his hopefully mere deep sleep. So for now I will take my leave and you to it, thank you Doctor," Data concludes things to her pleased smile. "Lal my dear," her father adds with a gentle touch to her chin, "Counsellor," the acting Captain then ends his tour of duty by glancing at Troi.

Lal smiling at his gentle smile, she even gives him a little kiss on the cheek, and with the two women of course unable not to go all, ahh, he so touches for her hair all fatherly caring, and then getting up, has a last tender look at his silent wife. Caressing her so pale face all lovingly in too obvious sorrow, as she simply lies there with her eyes semi closed as if dead, killing him with unspoken grief, he then tears himself away from her abruptly, and looks at Crusher and Troi so to follow him. With the Doctor nodding at him again, he is off along with Troi in his wake, and they both leave sickbay swiftly.

10


End file.
